Eye On Recipes - Spaghetti and Meatballs

Hello All,

Another one from the vault. Who would have thought an Irish boy could whip up some mean Italian dishes ;-)

Meatballs
1/2 lb ground beef (or Turkey)
1/2 lb ground veal
1/2 lb ground pork
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup parsley (dried)
2 tbl spoons oregano (dried)
2 eggs
1 tbl spoon minced garlic

4 sweet sausage
4 hot sausage

Sauce (or Gravy if you prefer)
2 large onions (bite size dice)
2 green peppers (bite size dice)
1 carrots (minced)
1 large carton button mushrooms (quartered)
1 head garlic (roasted)
2 large cans of whole tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
2 small cans tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
3 tbl spoons good olive oil
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup parsley
2 tbl spoons oregano
4 bay leaves

Meatballs -
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Try not to handle too much because it will make the meatballs tough. Form individual meatballs into a decent size. I usually make them slightly larger than a golf ball. Next heat a dutch oven and add a table spoon of olive oil. Cook your meatballs until they have browned all over. If to much fat builds up in the pan during this process feel free to discard the unwanted portion. Once all of the meatballs have been browned, brown your sausages as well and place all meat to the side. Leave some of the fat in the pan for the next step.

Sauce - Start by sauteing the onions and peppers on medium-low heat in the reserved fat until the onions become translucent. Next, add your quartered mushrooms and saute for a few more minutes. Add your garlic, herbs and bay leaves. Once your mixture is combined well add your whole tomatoes, sauce and paste. Return your meatballs and sausages to the pan and carefully stir to avoid braking up meatballs. Add your grated cheese and stir once more. Cover and let simmer on medium-low for two hours.

Serve with pasta (I prefer Linguine) and garlic bread. Garnish with fresh basil and more freshly grated cheese. This dish taste even better the next day. You can even use this sauce to make a delicious Lasagna and a mean Chicken Parmesan. These recipes and more to follow. Stay tuned!!

Enjoy!!

Until next time....Peace!!