Mom's Meatballs

When I make this dish everyone knows! The house is filled with the smell of roasted garlic, savory meat and love. Yes, you can smell love and it smells like meatballs.

ingredients

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
1 cup half and half
4 thick slices firm white bread, crust removed
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
1 large egg
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 jars of the best spaghetti sauce (Newman’s Own)
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 garlic bulb (roasted)
1 C. beef broth

directions

1
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and parsley and cook until the vegetables are soft but still translucent, about 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and let cool.
2
Pour enough milk over the bread in a bowl to moisten and let it soak while the onions are cooling. Combine the meats in a large bowl. Add the egg and Parmigiano and season generously with salt and pepper. Use your hands to squeeze the excess milk out of the bread and add that to the bowl along with the cooled onion mixture. (Hang onto the pan - you’ll need it to cook the meatballs.)
3
Pour both jars of sauce into large stock pot. Add in the Italian seasoning, beef broth and the roasted garlic cloves. Keep warm till meatballs are ready to simmer.
4
Gently combine all the ingredients with your hands or with a spoon until just mixed together. Don’t overwork or the meatballs will be tough. Scoop with ice cream scoop for even meatballs.
5
Heat saute pan with olive oil. Place meatballs in saute pan and cook on all sides. Once all the meatballs are brown on all sides drop gently into sauce. Simmer sauce and meatballs for one hour.
6
Serve this with the traditional spaghetti. Top with fresh parmigiano and fresh basil.

notes

To roast garlic bulb: Take a garlic bulb and 1/4 of the bottom off. Use foil to place bulb on and pour about a tablespoon on olive oil on top. Add salt and pepper. Wrap up and place in a hot 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Allow to cool.

Source: Caryn