Jumbo Cheesy Italian Meatballs

By nancystrini

I would make them slightly smaller than ONE FOURTH of the mixture--they were good but enormous.

Ingredients

• For the sauce:
• EVOO, for brushing
• 1/4 loaf torn, stale Italian bread
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 lbs. meatloaf mix or ground beef chuck
• 1 small bunch fresh parsley, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 t red pepper flakes
• 1 mini mozzarella ball for each meatball (4-6-8, depending)
• 2 T EVOO
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 t red pepper flakes
• 1 28-0z can crushed tomatoes
• 3-4 sprigs basil, plus chopped leaves for topping
• Kosher salt

Details

Preparation time 35mins
Cooking time 75mins

Preparation

Step 1

Meatballs: Preheat oven to 400 and brush a baking sheet with EVOO. Pulse the bread in a food processor to make coarse crumbs. Transfer crumbs to small bowl and add milk; set aside to soak.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl then ad the beef/meatloaf mix, parsley, parmesan, garlic, 1 t salt and the red pepper flakes; mix with your hands to combine. Add the bread-milk mixture and mix until just combined (do not overmix).

Dampen your hands and shape the meat mixture into 4 - 8 large balls. Make an indentation in each with your thumb and stuff with a mini mozzarella ball, then mold the meat around the cheese. Arrange meatballs on baking sheet and bake until browned and firm, 25-30 minutes.

Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic softens, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup water, basil sprigs and 1/2 t alt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Remove the meatballs from the oven and add to the sauce, spooning sauce over the meatballs. Continue cooking, occasionally spooning the sauce over the meatballs, until tender and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Serve with chopped basil (optional).