Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

A delicious meatballs and sauce recipe!

• Ready In: 0 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Sauce

• 3⁄4 cup onion, chopped
• 2  cloves garlic, minced
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1⁄3 cup  fresh parsley, minced
• 1  teaspoon dried basil, crumbled (or 3 tablespoons minced fresh basil)
• 28  ounces tomatoes, crushed
• 6  ounces tomato paste
• 1⁄2 cup  chicken stock
• 1⁄4 cup dry red wine
• 1  teaspoon sugar
• 2  tablespoons romano cheese, freshly grated
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  dried oregano, crumbled

• Meatballs

• 2  slices  bread, soaked in broth or milk (with liquid squeezed from it)
• 1  lb  chuck, ground
• 2  large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1⁄2 cup romano cheese, freshly grated
• 2  cloves garlic, minced
• 3  tablespoons  fresh parsley, minced
• 1  teaspoon dried oregano
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground ( to taste)
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil

Directions

1. Make the sauce: in a heavy saucepan cook the onion and the garlic in the oil over low heat, stirring, for 2 minutes; add parsley, basil, tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, wine, sugar, romano, salt, and oregano, and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
2. While sauce is cooking, prepare the meatballs: in a large bowl combine bread (with liquid squeezed from it), chuck (it's really good if you grind your own!), eggs, romano, parsley, garlic, the oregano, salt, and pepper; mix well and form into 8 meatballs.
3. In a large skillet brown the meatballs in the oil over high heat, turning them often; make sure to not crowd them in the pan, otherwise they won't brown properly.
4. Transfer the browned meatballs to the sauce with a slotted spoon and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
5. You can serve them with your favorite pasta right away, but these improve in flavor if they're cooled and chilled, covered, and refrigerated overnight or up to 2 days before serving.