Roman-Style Meatballs
By: Sheri Wetherell
Published: Thursday, September 1, 2011 - 6:49am

Ingredients




1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
4 oz. finely chopped prosciutto
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh oregano
6 Tbs. finely chopped fresh basil
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
5 Tbs. olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes with juices

Preparation

1 In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and milk and let stand for 10 minutes. 2 In a large bowl, combine the prosciutto, ground beef, pork, eggs, cheese, parsley, oregano, 3 Tbs. of the basil, 3 of the minced garlic cloves, the 1 tsp. salt and the 1/2 tsp. pepper. Add the soaked bread crumbs and mix gently until combined. Divide the meat mixture into 1/4-cup portions and roll into balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 3 In an 11-inch skillet over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Working in 2 batches, brown the meatballs on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate. 4 In the same pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 3 Tbs. olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the remaining 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Stir in the remaining 3 Tbs. basil. 5 Add the meatballs to the pan and cook, turning occasionally and basting with the sauce, until cooked through, about 30 minutes.

About

Excellent served on to of wide pasta noodles, such as papardelle, or with Gnocchi alla Romana. Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma.