Ingredients: |
Ingredients: For the Meatballs:
2 cups cubed crustless Italian bread
1 cup milk
1 whole egg and I egg yolk
1 pound ground veal or beef
1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic minced
½ cup minced shallots or onion
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper
3 tablespoons flour
For the Tomato Fennel Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion chopped
4 cloves garlic sliced
½ fennel bulb, cored and chopped
1 small carrot, diced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1 can (29 ounces), diced tomatoes
1 cup water
10 fresh basil leaves
|
Directions: |
Directions:Tomato Fennel Sauce:
1. Place olive oil in large pot and saute onions until soft. Add garlic, fennel, carrot, salt, and hot pepper flakes, and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add tomatoes, water, and basil and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Let cool.
3. Blend until smooth, using an emersion blender.
4. Return sauce to clean large pot. Let cool slightly.
Meatballs:
1. Preheat oven to 400º.
2. Soak cubed bread in milk until absorbed, about 10 minutes. Squeeze out as much milk as possible.
3. In food processor, pulse together bread, egg, egg yolk, and about one quarter of each of the veal and pork, just until incorporated. Transfer to large bowl.
4. In skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat; cook garlic, and shallots until golden, 3-5 minutes. Add to bread mixture, along with parsley, cheese, salt, pepper, and remaining veal and pork. Mix with hands until combined.
5. Form into 12 -15 large meatballs; refrigerate for 10 minutes. Gentled roll in flour.
6. Place on cookie sheet or baking pan and bake in preheated oven until done (thermometer inserted in centre of meatball reads 160º), about 40 minutes.
7. Place in sauce and cook for ½ hour. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Sandra is a great cook and I believe it is because she tries new recipes, holds onto them, and then prepares them again and again until she perfects the dish.
This recipe is an example of one her great recipes. The meatballs are juicy and the fennel adds an interesting dimension to the rich tomato sauce.
|
This recipe for Sandra's Giant Meatballs in Tomato Fennel Sauce is from