I really do love to cook for a couple of reasons. First, for the creative outlet it provides and second, I want to know WHAT I’m eating. In the case of the this family favorite, Meatballs and Tomato Sauce, I’m eating lots of butter. Just surrender! Butter is the key to this simple but outrageously flavorful tomato sauce with only 4 ingredients! The tender meatballs, featuring ground beef and Italian sausage are easy to put together. Searing the meatballs before making the sauce ensures the most flavor possible. Simmering the meatballs in the rich tomato sauce for hours will create your favorite comfort food.
Meatballs with Tomato Sauce
Serves 6
2 lbs ground beef
1 lb mild Italian sausage
3/4 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup Italian style bread crumbs
2 eggs
5 oz parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 tbsp salt
2 tsp pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
2 28 oz cans of tomato sauce
2 28 oz cans of whole stewed tomatoes and 1 -14oz can
3 sticks butter YES!!!
4 white onions, cut in half
2 lbs of your favorite pasta
Place the meats, cheese, garlic, Italian parsley, eggs, bread crumbs, salt & pepper in a large bowl. It is important to not over mix the meat, so use your hands to make sure it is just mixed. Once all ingredients are combined, roll into 1.5 inch balls and set aside on a baking dish.
In a large Dutch oven (the sauce will reach the very top), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Working in small batches, sautè the meatballs until each side is just browned, then transfer back to the baking sheet.
Without cleaning the Dutch oven, add tomatoes (in their juices), sauce, butter and onions. Once the butter is melted add all the meatballs to the sauce, stirring gently to cover them.
Bring the sauce to a low simmer and allow to cook for ****8 hours. After each hour give the sauce a gentle stir and, using the back of a wooden spoon, smash the whole tomatoes up against the side of the pot. This will help them break down in the cooking process.
Before serving, remove onions from the sauce. Serve over a bed of al dente pasta and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
****8 hours?!! I know. Do you have a spare Sunday to enjoy the cook? If not…meatballs can be baked, broiled, made smaller, browned and simmered for 40 minutes to an hour in the red sauce.
Adapted from: The Modern Proper
