Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Meatballs:
•1-1/2 pounds ground beef (preferably 80/20 ground chuck)
•2 large eggs, lightly beaten
•3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
•1/2 cup fine-minced sweet onions
•1/4 cup fine-grated Parmesan cheese (not the shelf-stable stuff)
•1/8 cup chopped Italian parsley
•1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
•1 (6 ounces) can tomato paste (see instructions before opening)
•1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed between the palms of your hands
•1/2 teaspoon dried basil
•1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
•1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
•1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Quick Tomato Sauce:
•1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
•1/2 cup minced sweet onion
•1 large clove garlic, pressed
•1 (15 ounces) can tomato sauce
•1 cup water
•1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
•1/4 teaspoon dried basil
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Garlic Bread:
•1 loaf of artisan Italian bread from the bakery, sliced 1/2-inch thick
•1/2 cup (about) mayonnaise (See Notes)
•1 teaspoon garlic powder
•1/2 teaspoon onion powder
•1/2 teaspoon salt
Casserole:
•1 teaspoon crushed red peppers, optional
•1 cup fine-shredded mozzarella cheese
•1 cup fine-shredded Italian-blend cheese
•1/4 cup fine-grated Parmesan cheese
•1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
•1 Roma tomato, seeded and chopped
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Directions: |
Directions:Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a large, shallow baking sheet with non-stick foil.
Make the Meatballs: Using a large dinner fork, combine ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs, onions, Parmesan cheese, parsley, 1 Tablespoon of the tomato paste (reserve the rest of the paste for the sauce), oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until thoroughly mixed. Form the mixture into meatballs about 1-1/2 inches in diameter, about the size of a quarter.
Place on prepared pan, not touching each other, and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until cooked through. Set aside. (Yield: About 54 meatballs.)
Make the Sauce: Place a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil and minced onions. Cook until onions begin to soften and turn translucent. Add pressed garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 30 additional seconds. Do not let the garlic brown. Add remaining tomato paste, tomato sauce, water, oregano, and basil. Whisk until the tomato paste is incorporated. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will be a rich, thick sauce. Adjust thickness to your personal tastes by adding water, a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. (Yield: About 4 cups of sauce.)
Make the Garlic Bread: Spread one side of each slice of bread with mayonnaise. Sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and diced tomatoes.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Assemble the Casserole: Spread the baked meatballs in the center of a 9- by 13-inch glass casserole dish, leaving space around the perimeter for the garlic bread. Top with the tomato sauce.
Arrange the garlic bread standing upright on end around the edge of the casserole dish.
Sprinkle the casserole evenly with the optional crushed red peppers, mozzarella cheese, Italian-blend cheese, Parmesan, and finish with chopped parsley. Make sure the cheeses and parsley get on the garlic bread as well as over the meatballs.
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Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: You've probably heard of deconstructed recipes on the network cooking shows. This is a version of deconstructed meat ball sandwiches that works for a crowd. It's a simple theory that is easy to throw together, especially if you cook the meatballs and tomato sauce in advance. The recipe looks long only because I've included recipes for homemade meatballs and a quick sauce.
However, feel free to save time on a busy night by using store-bought. Save the quick sauce recipe for other uses, such as pizza or pasta. It's much better than the jarred versions.
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