My Meatballs recepie:
(I don't do MEASURES so just guess!!!)
Fine ground beef. (You CAN add, as I often do, a bit of minced pork OR minced lamb but the mix should be 80% quality lean ground beef...) If you add Minced Lamb it gives it a slightly RANGIER taste.
Minced Garlic.
Minced Onion.
A Simon and Garfunkel song... (Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme...) Add fresh herbs, basically. (Or ERBS if you're American...)
The GRATED ZEST from a lemon. (This is VITAL!!!) The grated Lemon Peel gives a real ZING to the beef flavour.
Half a cup of PARMESAN cheese.
A cup of breadcrumbs. (These are added because if you DON'T the meatballs can be too FIRM.)
Teaspoon of tomato puree.
Splash of red wine.
Salt/Black Pepper.
One beaten egg.
(Now you MIX THE FUCK out of all of that!!!)
Then, form the mix into little balls or patties, slightly smaller than golf balls...
THEN, and THIS IS IMPORTANT, Chill the balls, (STOPPIT!) in the freezer for about 15/20 minutes... (This is because if you don't they can break up and stick to the griddle pan...)
On a large frying pan or Wok, brown the meatballs in olive oil and butter... You want then ALMOST CHARRED on the outside but PINK on the inside... (Fry FAST in groups of about six...)
THEN, you add the meatballs to the tomato sauce/gravy that you have already prepared. (I very often use shop-bought sauce like Lyod Grossman's Tomato and Basil or even Dol Mio...) If you WANT I can give you my own tomato gravy recipie, but HONESTLY I mostly use shop-bought with a splash of red wine!) You CAN ADD things like pan-fried mushrooms or seared-sliced bell peppers to the tomato gravy, depending on your taste, (I add mushrooms) but NOT if you are feeding Italians!!! (That's sacrilige, apparently...)
As the meatballs COOK in the sauce, you'll see a film of oil/stock around the side of the pot...
Simmer GENTLY for about 20 minutes...
Serve with PASTA and Crusty White Fresh bread warmed from the oven. (Provide both salted butter and Extra Virgin Olive Oil for your guests.)
Let me know how you get on!
xx SF
Cheffanie!






