Italian Meatballs

Name: Italian Meatballs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 16 Meatballs, 8 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef (at least 16 percent fat); 1 lb ground pork; 2/3 cup milk (whole or 2 percent); 3 slices white bread, crusts removed (about 3 ounces); 1/4 cup ricotta cheese; 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese or 1/4 cup romano cheese; 2 eggs; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley; 2 teaspoons black pepper; 1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 teaspoon marjoram; 2 -3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 cup flour; 1/3 cup olive oil; 26 ounces marinara sauce, of your choice; 16 ounces pasta

Submitted by Sherri L.

"Very moist, delicious, authentic Italian meatballs."

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Ready In:: 50mins
Ingredients:: 16
Yields:: 16 Meatballs
Serves:: 8

ingredients

1 lb ground beef (at least 16 percent fat)
1 lb ground pork
²⁄₃ cup milk (whole or 2 percent)
3 slices white bread, crusts removed (about 3 ounces)
¹⁄₄ cup ricotta cheese
¹⁄₄ cup grated parmesan cheese or 1/4 cup romano cheese
2 eggs
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 teaspoon marjoram
2 -3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup flour
¹⁄₃ cup olive oil
26 ounces marinara sauce, of your choice
16 ounces pasta

directions

Heat the milk in a small pot until steamy.
Turn off the heat, tear the bread into little pieces and soak it in the milk until it partially dissolves.
Mash it until you get something that resembles a paste.
Turn it out onto a plate to let it cool.
Heat marinara sauce in pan.
In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, ricotta cheese, grated parmesan, eggs, salt, parsley, oregano, black pepper, garlic cloves and the bread-milk mixture.
Mix it well with your hands until it barely combines.
Don't overwork the mixture or it will become tough.
It is OK to have some discernible bits of bread or meat in the mix; better that than overworked meatballs.
Wet your hands and form the meatballs.
A traditional size for this sort of meatball is 2-3 inches across, but you can make them any size you want.
Once you roll the meatball in your hands, roll it in the flour to give it a good coating.
Set each one on a baking sheet as you work.
You might need to rinse your hands a few times as you make the meatballs.
When all the meatballs are formed, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Brown the meatballs on at least two sides.
Don't worry about the center getting cooked through, as you will finish these in the sauce.
Once all the meatballs are browned, arrange them in the sauce, turning each one over in the sauce to coat.
Cover the pot and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes.
Serve with the sauce and pasta or crusty bread.
Sprinkle with a little chopped parsley for garnish if you want.