Italian Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

Do you remember Spaghetti night at your house when you were a kid? Here's my memory it was usually pasta that came out of a green and yellow box and sauce that came out of a jar that had a name that started with the letter "R". Sometimes there would be ground beef that was browned before it was added to the sauce. Let's not forget the parmesan cheese! I remember shaking a green can that had some kind of powdery stuff onto my spaghetti.

When I was a little older my family started going to an Italian restuarant near the University of Minnesota campus. The restaurant was "Vesico's" and it was here that I tasted real homemade meatballs, fresh pasta, marinara sauce and true italian sausage for the first time. I was blown away! The flavors were so alive and all of the food had a real freshness to it that only comes from making it that day. I'll never forget the meals that we had at Vesico's!

Years later, I decided to try my hand at Italian meatballs and marinara sauce. I wanted to replicate the flavor and freshness that I remembered. First, is baked meatballs instead of frying. They came out with a nice crust because they baked in a four hundred degree oven yet still retain a moist consistency. You can fry these meatballs if you desire but I really think that baking is the way to go. Fresh Italian parsley, chopped garlic and Panko bread crumbs give the meatballs a light and flavorful quality almost like meatloaf. The mainara sauce is made with both dried and fresh basil. Adding fresh basil right near the end brings a vibrant and fresh flavor to the sauce. After the meatballs have baked and developed that nice crust they are added to the sauce which allows them to cook and absorb all of that good marinara flavor.

I like my meatballs to be about two and a half inches in diameter, a little more than twice the size of a golf ball. This is the perfect size as far as I'm concerned. They are big enough so they can be broken into several pieces to go along with your pasta. There is nothing like a well balanced spoonful of pasta, sauce and meatball.

If you're ever in Minneapolis and want to give Vesico's a try here is the link to their website: http://www.vescioscucina.com.

So let's get started!

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Italian Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

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Italian Meatballs

*****Ingredients*****

1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 eggs
1 cup grated fresh Pecorino Ramano or Parmasean Reggiano cheese
2 tblsp fresh chopped Italian parsley
2 tsp Penzeys Italian Herb Mix
2 small cloves garlic finely chopped
2 cups Italian style Panko bread crumbs
1 - 2 cups luke warm water
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup olive oil for frying if necessary

*****Preparation*****

Combine beef and pork in a large bowl using your hands. Do not use a mixer. Add eggs, cheese, parsley, garlic, italian herb mix, salt, pepper and blend together using your hands. Add bread crumbs to meat mixture and blend. Add water 1/2 cup at a time and blend until meat mixture is quite moist. You may not use the entire 2 cups of water depending on how humid it is in your kitchen.

While shaping meat into 2 1/2 inch balls, heat olive oil in saute' pan or preheat oven to 400 degrees.

These meatballs can either be fryed in olive oil or baked in the oven depending on your choice. If frying, heat olive oil in a large saute' until oil is very hot but not smoking. Fry meatballs in batches, do not crowd the saute' pan. When first side is brown and slightly crisp turn and cook second side. Remove meatballs from saute' pan and place on a wire rack to drain. If baking in the oven, heat oven to 400 degrees. Place meatballs on a wire rack inside a sheet pan and bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until meatballs have developed a nice crust.

Remove meatballs from the wire rack and lower them one by one into simmering marinara sauce. Cook for 30 - 60 minutes. Meatballs can be served over pasta or on their own.

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Marinara Sauce

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*****Ingredients*****

Imported San Marzano plum tomatoes 2 cans (28 oz. each)
Strained italian tomato sauce - 1 bottle (16 oz.)
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tsp dried basil
1 tblsp dried oregano
12 - 15 fresh basil leaves chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil

*****Preparation*****

Remove tomatoes from the can, separate the whole tomatoes from their juice and reserve. Clean the tomatoes of their skin and any hard parts in the core. Using your hands gently crush the tomatoes, then use a hand mixer to puree the tomato pieces.

Heat olive oil in a large non-reactive pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute' until onions are begining to turn translucent and brown. Add garlic and saute' for 1 minute or until the garlic begins to brown. Add pureed tomatoes, tomato juice, dried basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Allow sauce to come to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. If you prefer a thicker sauce, simmer for an additional 15 - 20 minutes.

Add fresh basil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

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