Meatballs

Ellie Weightman - Adapted from recipe on America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients:
1/2 lb mild Italian sausage (remove from casings and break up)
2 1/2 lb ground meat
1 x-large onion, minced
4 slices of white bread – broken into pieces
3 tblsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp tomato paste (tube type)
3/4 cup whole milk
1 cup parmesan
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or 1/4 cup dry parsley
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Saute onions in olive oil. Add garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes and tomato paste and saute for 30 seconds.

In bowl, place bread pieces and milk and mash together with a fork  Add onion saute mix and blend again with fork. Add parmesan, parsley, eggs and salt. Mash again using fork or use clean or gloved hands.   Add meats and blend with clean or gloved hands.  Form meatballs to your desired size (makes approximately 45 medium size).  Pictured below.

Place on foil on baking sheet.

Bake in 475 degree oven for 20 minutes for the medium meatballs - allow more time for larger meatballs. 


Remove from oven and place in sauce and simmer on very low for 30 minutes.
My sauce recipe can be viewed here:  http://therecipegals.blogspot.com/2010/09/ellies-work-night-tomato-sauce.html 

Can be frozen in sauce or by itself.  To freeze by itself, lay the meatballs on a cookie sheet and place in freezer for 1-3 hours, once frozen they can be thrown in a freezer zip lock bag. 

DO NOT FREEZE IN BAG BEFORE FREEZING SEPARATELY ON A COOKIE SHEET OR THE MEATBALLS WILL STICK TOGETHER.

Medium size - before baking

After baking