Veronica's Sinfully Divine Meatballs

By AzWench

Ingredients

• Meat:
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 lb. ground pork
• 1 lb. ground chicken
• 2 oz. fontina cheese
• 2 oz. reggiano parmiagano cheese
• 2 oz. sharp provolone
• 2 oz. asiago cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
• Vegetable Mixture:
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 large onion
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 handful of basil
• 1 handful parsley
• 3 TBSP. olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 TBSP. crushed red pepper flakes
• Sauce:
• 1/4 C olive oil
• 4 24 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
• 2 24 oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes w/ juice
• 1 can water
• 1 stick unsalted butter

Preparation

Step 1

In a large bowl combine ground beef, ground veal, ground pork and ground chicken. Set aside.

In a food processor mix 2 oz. each, fontina cheese, Reggiano parmiagano cheese, sharp provolone and Asiago cheese chopped very fine in a food processor and add this to the meat mixture.

In a food processor start vegetable mixture - one medium size carrot, one large onion, six cloves garlic, one large handful each basil and flat leaf parsley.

Heat three tablespoons of olive oil in a medium size pan over medium/high heat. Add vegetable mixture - the carrot, onion, garlic, basil, and parsley - and add one teaspoon salt, one teaspoon pepper and one tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 7-8 minutes or until very tender.

Add half of the sautéed vegetable mixture to the meat mixture and place in the refrigerator covered, the other half set aside.

Heat 1/4 C olive oil over medium/high heat and add the remaining half of the sautéed vegetable mixture to that add 4-24oz cans crushed tomatoes, and 2-24 oz. whole peeled tomatoes with juice.

Let the sauce cook for at least 20 minutes.

To the meat mixture, add one beaten egg, one cup Italian bread crumbs, and mix to incorporate all the ingredients and form about 2-3 inch balls.

Place all of the meatballs right to the hot sauce. Do not stir for at least 1/2 hour so that the meat does not fall apart. Add one stick unsalted butter to the sauce, lower the heat to a medium/low uncovered for four to six hours allowing the meat to get very tender.