Old Fashioned Meatballs in Tomato Sauce Casserole

These yummy meatballs are made with a mixture of beef and Italian sausage. They are placed in a baking dish, smothered in tomato sauce, topped with grated Romano cheese and baked in a hot oven. This saves the step of browning them on top of the stove and the sauce is wonderfully seasoned with the meatball juices and Romano cheese.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Yields: 12 meatballs

Ingredients

• 1  lb ground beef
• 1⁄2 lb Italian sausage
• 1⁄3 cup  breadcrumbs
• 1⁄3 cup water
• 2  eggs, beaten
• 2  large garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄4 cup  grated romano cheese
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper

• Tomato Sauce

• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 2  garlic cloves
• 1 3⁄4 cups  canned crushed tomatoes in puree
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 5  leaves fresh basil
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Remove ground beef and sausage from refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes before cooking.
2. Place bread crumbs in large bowl and stir in 1/3 cup water.
3. When absorbed, blend together with eggs, garlic, grated Romano, salt, and pepper.
4. Preheat oven to 425°.
5. Add meats to bread crumb mixture and combine well with fork.
6. Form into 12 even meatballs.
7. Place in 1 layer in 9x13” baking dish so each is separated by about 1 inch.
8. In a separate saucepan, sauté 2 cloves of garlic in olive oil.
9. Add crushed tomatoes and water.
10. Add fresh basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
11. Pour tomato mixture over and around meatballs.
12. Sprinkle tops with grated Romano cheese.
13. Bake in center of oven until meatballs are just cooked through, about 25 minutes.