Sisters Luv 2 Cook: Italian Meatballs with Garlic Bread

I have been watching a lot of Rachael Ray cooking shows during the Covid 19 pandemic. I have a few of her cookbooks but hadn't tried a lot of her recipes. I love her personality and cooking style so I thought I would try some recipes and have been very pleased with all of them so far. This particular recipe really stands out as one of my favourites. Tasty meatballs in a yummy tomato sauce surrounded by garlic bread. The bread works well as it mops up all the sauce. In the original recipe Rachael makes great big meatballs but I prefer smaller sized balls. When using olive oil use extra virgin olive oil. Passata is a uncooked tomato puree. I usually serve with a salad. This recipe makes 24 meatballs so depending on how many people you are serving you may want to split into two pans and put one in the freezer for another time.

Italian Meatballs with Garlic Bread

Ingredient

Roasted Meatballs

1 cup breadcrum
Nutmeg, for grating
2/3 cup whole milk
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
Salt and pepper
A handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 large egg
4 tablespoons Olive oil

Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
One 14-ounce can crushed Italian tomatoes
One 24-ounce jar, 3 cups, tomato passata or puree
A few leaves basil, torn
Salt
A sprinkle of sugar

Garlic Bread:

4 tablespoons butter
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
A loaf of Italian bread or ciabatta
About 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
A handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F with rack at center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

For the meatballs: Pour breadcrumbs in a small bowl, add a few grates of nutmeg and add milk. Toss and let the milk absorb.

Place the meats in a large mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper, combine them and make a well. Rip off some parsley tops and finely chop; add to meats. Peel garlic and mince. Pour in cheeses, sprinkle on fennel and red pepper flakes. Add egg and olive oil. Combine the mixture. Form into 24 meatballs and place on parchment; roast 15 to 18 minutes.

For the sauce: Meanwhile, in a medium Dutch oven or a deep cast-iron skillet heat olive oil, and melt butter into oil. When it foams, add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes and passata and bring to a bubble. Stir in basil leaves. Reduce heat on sauce a bit and let it bubble away 15 minutes. Taste the sauce and salt and sugar.

For the garlic bread: While sauce and meatballs are cooking, heat olive oil in a small pot or pan over medium heat and melt butter into it. Crush and grate garlic into butter and remove from heat. Split bread and add to oven a rack below the meatballs. Toast 5 minutes. Remove and brush with all the garlic and oil, top with cheese and chop a little parsley to sprinkle on top. Return to oven, warm another 3 minutes to set, remove.

Remove meatballs from oven, and place into sauce.

Serve meatballs in rimmed plates or shallow bowls and add cut garlic bread for the mopping.

Print Recipe: Italian Meatballs with Garlic Bread

Combine meatball ingredients

Bake in 450 degree oven.. Place the meatballs on parchment paper for easy clean up. Bake for about 18 minutes.

Make then sauce. Heat the oil and butter. Add the garlic. Cook for one minute. Add tomatoes and passata. Add salt. Bring to a gentle bubble. Add torn or chopped basil. Cook for 15 minutes. Taste the sauce., add more salt if needed and a little sprinkle of sugar.