Meatballs al Forno
Description
The trick to these delicious, oven baked meatballs is the three meats that are used, ground beef, ground pork and ground veal. They are so good, they are a wonderful addition to any holiday meal. But don't limit yourself, they're great anytime.
Ingredients
Marinara:
28 oz. can good quality whole, peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano tomatoes
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/2 c. dry red wine
1 t. freshly chopped thyme leaves (from about 5 stems)
1 t. freshly chopped oregano leaves (from about 3 stems)
2 T. freshly chopped parsley leaves
Meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef (85% lean)
1/2 lb. ground pork
1/2 lb. ground veal (or sub more pork)
1 strip bacon, very finely diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 t. crushed chili flakes
3/4 c. ricotta cheese
1 t. freshly chopped thyme leaves
1 T. freshly chopped parsley leaves
2 eggs
1/2 c. Italian style breadcrumbs
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
favorite pasta, cooked according to package instructions, for serving
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
freshly chopped parsley, for serving
Directions
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Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
Marinara:
Pour San Marzano tomatoes in a large bowl; squeeze the whole tomatoes with your hand so that they break apart; set aside.
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat with 2 T. olive oil. Add garlic; gently saute about 2 minutes, being careful not to allow it to burn. Pour in tomatoes; stir. Add salt, pepper, red wine, thyme, oregano and parsley; cook, simmering gently, while preparing the meatballs.
Meatballs:
In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients, except for the olive oil. Mix meat with your hands until well combined and evenly mixed. Form meatballs into 1 1/2 inch sized meatballs.
Heat a dutch oven or oven-safe skillet with tall sides over medium heat with 3 T. olive oil. In 2 separate batches, add meatballs in a single layer without overcrowding the pan; brown both sides, about 3 minutes per side. The meatballs don't need to be cooked through, just browned on each side so that they retain their shape and add flavor. Set the browned meatballs on a paper towel lined plate; repeat until all meatballs are browned.
Remove pan from heat; wipe the skillet clean to remove all browned bits. Place meatballs in a single layer in the skillet. Evenly pour marinara over the top.
Place meatballs on the middle rack of the oven; braise for 45 minutes.
When done, remove from oven; let cool for 5-10 minutes.
Serve over prepared pasta, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley.
6 servings.