Italian Meatballs with Garlic Bread

By cacelias

Try to use extra-lean ground beef in this recipe as this allows you to add the meatballs directly to the bubbling sauce without first browning them. These are hearty and delicious and can be served alone, over spaghetti, or served on a sandwich.

Ingredients

• Sauce:
• 2 cans whole plum tomatoes (796 mL cans)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
• Meatballs:
• 1 pound extra lean ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino cheese
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/4 cups fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Garlic Bread:
• 4 Ciabatta buns, cut in half, then cut diagonally to form triangles
• 1 whole garlic clove, cut in half
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• kosher salt and pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Add tomatoes to heavy stock pot (I use my Le Cruset). Crush tomatoes with potato masher, or the back of a wooden spoon. Add the tomato paste, olive oil garlic, and bay leaf. Stir together and cover with lid and cook on medium-high until sauce is bubbling and beginning to thicken, about 3 hours.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix ground beef, pork, 2 tablespoons Pecorino cheese, edge parsley, breadcrumbs, chopped garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Gently form mixture into 16 meatballs. Transfer meatballs to a rimmed sheet pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

Once sauce has cook to bubbling, submerge meatballs into tomato sauce, cover with lid and cook until cooked through, about 1 1/2 hours more. Discard bay leaf.

When meatballs are cooked through, heat broiler to high. Arrange sliced buns on a rimmed sheet pan, cut side up and brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season