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Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Source of Recipe

Gourmet


List of Ingredients

Sauce:
• ¾ cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• â…“ cup minced parsley
• 1 tsp dried basil
• One 28-ounce can tomatoes
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• ½ cup chicken stock (recipe follows)
• ¼ cup dry red wine
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp freshly grated Romano cheese
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp dried oregano

Meatballs:
• 2 slices white bread soaked in ¼ cup water
• 1 pound ground chuck
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup freshly grated Romano cheese
• 3 Tbsp minced parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• ¼ cup olive oil


Recipe

For the sauce:
In a heavy saucepan cook the onion and garlic in oil over low heat, stirring for 2 minutes. Add parsley, basil, tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, wine, sugar, Romano, salt and oregano. Simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

For the meatballs:
In a bowl combine well the bread, squeezed, the chuck, eggs, Romano, parsley, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Form mixture into 10 meatballs. In a large skillet brown the meatballs in oil over high heat, turning them often.

Transfer the meatballs to the sauce with a slotted spoon and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. This dish improves in flavor if it is cooled and chilled, covered, overnight or up to 2 days.

Serves 5


Chicken Stock:

• 4 pounds chicken with neck and giblets, excluding liver
• 1 large onion stuck with 2 cloves
• 2 leeks, halved lengthwise
• 2 carrots
• 1 stalk celery
• 2 tsp salt
• Bouquet Garni: 6 parsley sprigs, ½ tsp dried thyme, 1 unpeeled garlic clove, 1 bay leaf

In a kettle combine chicken, chopped giblets and 12 cups cold water. Bring to a boil and skim froth. Add ½ cup cold water, bring to boil, skim froth. Add onion, leeks, carrots, celery, salt and bouquet garni. Simmer the stock, skimming froth, for 2 hours.

Remove chicken from kettle, remove meat and skin from carcass, return it and skin to the kettle, and simmer stock, adding boiling water if necessary to keep ingredients barely covered, for 2 hours more.

Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on the solids. Let it cool. Chill stock and remove fat. (May be frozen.)

Makes about 6 cups