It started with the usual google search on recipes for the best meatballs and then some tweaking on my part. My darling husband/best friend says they are the best meatballs he has ever had and is just hopeful that, on the second occasion I make them, they turn out just as good. I made my usual sauce with just the addition of some fresh basil and flat leaf parsley since I had them on hand. And I used Dreamfield Spaghetti because I just can't have meatballs on any other form of pasta.
1 pound of ground sirloin
1 package of Johnsonville Mild Italian Sausage (it's a little over a pound)
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 cup milk
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine the milk and breadcrumbs and set aside while you get everything else ready. The chopping time will probably be long enough for the crumbs to absorb the milk.
Take the sausages out of their casings and put in a mixing bowl with the ground beef. Add the cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. I did four grinds of salt and 6 grinds of pepper. Probably 1 teaspoon of salt and two of pepper. We don't eat a lot of salt but if you do, please add more. Mix this well.
Add the chopped parsley, sage, onion, garlic and grated cheese. Mix well. Then add the eggs and breadcrumbs. Remember while you are mixing this that you want to thoroughly combine everything so there are no clumps of any one ingredient when you bite down into the meatball. But at the same time, be gentle. If you press the meat together too roughly your meatballs will be tough. It's a fine line to walk...
Just take your time and it will all come together beautifully!!
I used my cookie scoop so that they would all be approximately the same size and rounded them as I placed them on the cookie sheet. This recipe makes 30 meatballs. Count them...it's 30.
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| before baking... |
You don't need to grease your pan. There is enough moisture in the mix they don't stick. They cooked in 20 minutes. I used my thermometer and they were perfectly at temp! I did, however, broil them for one minute for just a little more color. Place them on top of a pile of spaghetti, add some sauce and grated parm and enjoy!!! Yummmmmm
Because the recipe makes 30 meatballs (did you count them?) there are leftovers. Yay!!! It occurred to me that the perfect use for them would be a meatball sub. I adore subs. Bread stuffed with goodness...what's not to love. I found the perfect rolls at Wal-Mart. They are called bolillio rolls. They look like little footballs, don't they? Hey...they would be perfect for a tailgate party. I'll have to remember that. Anyway, I took a can of fire roasted tomatoes and added 2 cloves of garlic and half an onion chopped up and about a tablespoon of chopped fresh basil and cooked that down with the meatballs in it so they could get warm. This took about 15 minutes. I split the top of the bun, shoved three meatballs and some sauce in it and then topped it with a mix of Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. About a minute under the broiler and you have the best meatball sub I have EVER eaten. I think I like them better in the sub than I did on the pasta. If not better, equally.
Two meals in one cooking. That's is a winner. And to have two wonderful meals. That is priceless.
Very satisfied!! And can't wait to have them again...and again...and again....
