Meatballs in Sugo
INGREDIENTS
Meatballs
2 lb ground beef
1 cup grated parmesan (10% of the weight of the meat)
100g Old bread, no crusts (10% of the weight of the meat)
1/2 Cup milk
1 oz of Fresh Basil
1 tsp salt
fresh ground black pepper
2 eggs
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
Sauce
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Clove garlic
1/4-1/2 onion, sliced very thin.
1 oz of Fresh Basil, stems separated
24oz tomato puree
1 tsp salt
METHOD
Prepare the Bread
1. Remove any crust from the bread.
2. Tear the bread up into small pieces and place in a small bowl.
3. Add the milk and let the bread soak while you make the sauce.
Prepare the Sauce
1. Peel the garlic clove and smack it gently with the flat end of a knife. Don't crush it, just open it up.
2. Place the olive oil, garlic, and onion in a saucepan on low heat.
3. When the garlic in the pan is golden, add the tomato puree, basil, and salt to taste.
Back to the Meatballs
1. Crumble the bread meat into a large bowl.
2. Place the milk-soaked bread in a fine mesh strainer over the bowl it was in and get as much milk out of it as you can.
3. Add the strained bread to the meat mix.
4. Crush two cloves of garlic in to mix.
5. Add the Parmesan, salt, pepper, and chopped basil.
6. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat well.
8. Add HALF of the egg mixture to the meat mix and mix well with your hands. If the mix is too dry, add more egg. The mix should be moist enough to grab everything from the bowl, but dry enough to stay together.
9. Form into balls and press slightly to make them more like a thick hamburger patty.
Cook the Meatballs
1. Heat 4 Tbsp Olive oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium low to low heat.
2. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs. Brown the meatballs.
3. When brown, add the meatballs to the sauce and let simmer for 10 minutes.
HOW TO SERVE
Serve topped with fresh grated parmesan and fresh chopped basil. Great with a side of Olive Garden Salad.