Italian Meatballs

July 20, 2008 9:00 pm admin Recipes, Red Meat

Usually I prefer to eat pasta with a simple and vegetarian marinara sauce. However, Doug occasionally convinces me to make a batch of meatballs to toss in and it’s usually a nice change from the ordinary. I like mine moist, so I add cream and chicken broth to the mix. I’ve tried it with a half beef and half pork combination, but I like the simplicity of just beef.

I like making this mix ahead and then storing it in the freezer in an air-tight, zip-top bag for up to two months.

Ingredients
1.5lbs ground beef (I prefer 90% lean)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup heavy cream (half and half or whole milk are suitable substitutes)
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup freshly chopped Italian parsley
1 tsp fresh thyme, stemmed and chopped
1 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs (in a pinch I’ve used packaged stuffing mix that has been run through the food processor)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a flat baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add all ingredients to a large bowl and combine thoroughly. Mix should be thick, moist, and slightly sticky.
Shape golf-ball-sized meatballs and lay on parchment paper. Space them about 1″ apart.
Bake for 18-20 minutes and then add to sauce.

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