When ever we go into the City for a show we always stop by Becco to see if today they are serving Meatballs. Lidia has the best meatballs I've ever tasted, thank you so much....
On this beautiful Sunday morning I put on my favorite Dean Martin CD and started making meatballs. Below is Lidia's recipe for meatballs. I only have four out of her seven cookbooks but I highly recommend getting Lidia's Italy in America, great book with amazing recipes, so pop in the CD, grab a bottle of wine, a french bouquet and enjoy
Ingredients
- For meatballs:
- 1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground veal
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon ground oregano
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 2 cups bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- For sauce:
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon peperoncino
- 3 (28-ounce) cans Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand
- 1 lb. spaghetti
Preparation
Everybody loves meatballs. I feel like meatballs are part of Americana. They belong on the American table and this is a great and simple recipe. It calls for three types of meat but a combination of any two or even one will work as well. It freezes well, but is best frozen in smaller quantities, (1/2 pint, 6-8 meatballs and sauce) so that it reconstitutes quickly.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a food processor, combine the carrot, celery and onion and pulse to make a fine-textured paste or pestata. Scrape pestata into a large bowl and add remaining meatball ingredients. Mix well with your hands to combine all of the ingredients.
Roll into golf ball size meatballs and place on baking sheets. You should get about 4 dozen (48) meatballs. Bake meatballs until browned all over, about 18 to 20 minutes. (They do not need to be entirely cooked through, as they will cook more in the sauce).
While the meatballs are baking begin the sauce. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle in ½ cup water and simmer the onions to break them down, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Once the water has cooked away, add 1 teaspoon salt, the bay leaves and peperoncino. Let the peperoncino toast for a minute, then pour in the tomatoes. Slosh out the tomato cans and bowl with 4 cups hot water and add to the pot. Add the remaining teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer while the meatballs finish baking, about 10 minutes more.
When the meatballs have finished baking, gently add them to the sauce and return to a simmer. Simmer, shaking the pan periodically to move but not break the meatballs, until sauce is thick and flavorful, about ½ hour.
Add 1 lb. spaghetti to boiling salted water. When the pasta is al dente, drain with tongs and add directly to ½ the sauce. Toss and serve immediately with some grated Grana Padano and a meatball or two on top. Add extra sauce to your taste.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a food processor, combine the carrot, celery and onion and pulse to make a fine-textured paste or pestata. Scrape pestata into a large bowl and add remaining meatball ingredients. Mix well with your hands to combine all of the ingredients.
Roll into golf ball size meatballs and place on baking sheets. You should get about 4 dozen (48) meatballs. Bake meatballs until browned all over, about 18 to 20 minutes. (They do not need to be entirely cooked through, as they will cook more in the sauce).
While the meatballs are baking begin the sauce. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle in ½ cup water and simmer the onions to break them down, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Once the water has cooked away, add 1 teaspoon salt, the bay leaves and peperoncino. Let the peperoncino toast for a minute, then pour in the tomatoes. Slosh out the tomato cans and bowl with 4 cups hot water and add to the pot. Add the remaining teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer while the meatballs finish baking, about 10 minutes more.
When the meatballs have finished baking, gently add them to the sauce and return to a simmer. Simmer, shaking the pan periodically to move but not break the meatballs, until sauce is thick and flavorful, about ½ hour.
Add 1 lb. spaghetti to boiling salted water. When the pasta is al dente, drain with tongs and add directly to ½ the sauce. Toss and serve immediately with some grated Grana Padano and a meatball or two on top. Add extra sauce to your taste.
Enjoy.....
The Spaniard
The Spaniard
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