I just made a batch of these this morning. In parenthesis I have noted the changes I made to the meatballs. I always make my own spaghetti sauce also to go along with these delicious meatballs. I will never ever make any other meatball again!!! This is the one my family loves and is the best I have ever tasted. Trust me!
Mama's Meatballs
Nicolina DiSpirito was the unsung hero of the reality show, "The Restaurant."
Her son, Rocco DiSpirito, was the star of the show, but Mama, the restaurant's chef de cuisine, was the rock.
Seasoned Stock Mix:
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 large sweet onion (I use a whole onion)
4 cloves garlic
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
Meatballs:
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese ( I add another 1/4 cup)
2 to 3 pinches chili flakes
2 to 3 pinches salt
Olive oil for coating hands and frying meatballs
Marinara Sauce (recipe below)
To make the stock: Put all the chicken stock, onion, garlic and parsley in a blender or food processor and puree.
To make the meatballs: Combine stock mix and remaining ingredients except olive oil in a large bowl, and blend with hands just until all of the ingredients are blended together. Coat hands with a bit of olive oil and form meat mixture into about 2-ounce balls.
Pour about 1/2 inch olive oil into a large, straight-sided pan, and heat over medium heat. Add the meatballs and brown, turning once.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the meatballs from the oil and put them in a pot of marinara sauce. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and tender.
Makes about 20 meatballs.
MAMA'S MARINARA
11/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 28-ounce can tomato purée
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 cup tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 sprig basil, roughly chopped
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until vegetables are soft but not browned. Add the tomato purée, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, stir well and bring to a simmer. Season with salt, chili flakes and sugar. Add the basil to the sauce and simmer for about 1 hour, until sauce has thickened slightly. Makes about 1 quart.
Mama's Meatballs
Nicolina DiSpirito was the unsung hero of the reality show, "The Restaurant."
Her son, Rocco DiSpirito, was the star of the show, but Mama, the restaurant's chef de cuisine, was the rock.
Seasoned Stock Mix:
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 large sweet onion (I use a whole onion)
4 cloves garlic
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
Meatballs:
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese ( I add another 1/4 cup)
2 to 3 pinches chili flakes
2 to 3 pinches salt
Olive oil for coating hands and frying meatballs
Marinara Sauce (recipe below)
To make the stock: Put all the chicken stock, onion, garlic and parsley in a blender or food processor and puree.
To make the meatballs: Combine stock mix and remaining ingredients except olive oil in a large bowl, and blend with hands just until all of the ingredients are blended together. Coat hands with a bit of olive oil and form meat mixture into about 2-ounce balls.
Pour about 1/2 inch olive oil into a large, straight-sided pan, and heat over medium heat. Add the meatballs and brown, turning once.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the meatballs from the oil and put them in a pot of marinara sauce. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and tender.
Makes about 20 meatballs.
MAMA'S MARINARA
11/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 28-ounce can tomato purée
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 cup tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 sprig basil, roughly chopped
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until vegetables are soft but not browned. Add the tomato purée, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, stir well and bring to a simmer. Season with salt, chili flakes and sugar. Add the basil to the sauce and simmer for about 1 hour, until sauce has thickened slightly. Makes about 1 quart.
