Meatballs & Sauce

I tried a new recipe for meatballs yesterday, although I modified it a bit.

Ingredients:
2 slices bread
4 Tablespoons milk
1 cup diced onions
1 tablespoon oil
.5 pound ground beef
.5 pound ground pork
.5 pound ground turkey
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Take two pieces of sourdough bread (or any other kind of white bread). Tear into bits and add the milk (mine had a hard crust, so that was better removed). Let the milk and bread sit for about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, saute the onions in the oil until soft (you may add garlic as desired as well). I always pre-cook my onions before adding them to meatloaf or meatballs. That way, the water is already out of them and the loaf or balls hold together much better.

According to the website where I got the original recipe, you can find something called meatloaf mix in the grocery store--equal parts ground beef, pork, and veal. One, I find it hard to eat veal and two, not in my grocery store. I substituted ground turkey and bought about a pound of each of them. I browned the other half pounds (with onion) so that I'd have a chili base all ready for Super Bowl Sunday. If I can make two meals at the same time, believe me, I'm going to.

In a large bowl, combine the meats, milk & bread, egg, parmesan cheese. You may also add any flavors you like. I usually add a bit of chipotle seasoning and some oregano. Other possibilities are parsley, basil, taco seasoning, etc. Use your hands to combine, but try not to overwork the meat. Once combined, use your hands to roll and form meatballs about 1.5 inches in diameters. Place on a cookie sheet covered with rapid release foil (that stuff is the best). Cook in a 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes, turning meatballs once. (check for doneness).


Quick sauce:

Ingredients
Two shallots, sliced thinly
two cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
oregano & basil to taste
1-2 tablespoons sugar
salt & pepper to taste
crushed red pepper or a dash of hot sauce, to taste & optional

Saute shallots and garlic in oil. When soft, add the crushed tomatoes and the other ingredients. I try to always have cans of crushed tomatoes on hand. This sauce comes together in about 15 minutes, and has much less sugar and sodium (although the tomatoes have more than you might like) than jarred pasta sauce. I prefer the crushed tomatoes just plain, but they do make them with Italian herbs in the can already. I just like adjusting the seasonings myself.