A combination of Italian sausage and ground beef make for flavor-packed meatballs, while milk-soaked breadcrumbs and egg help to bind AND keep them moist. A generous addition of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese also gives them a nice salty bite. I like to cook them directly in sauce ... it keeps them from drying out, and the flavor of the meatballs is infused into the sauce as it cooks.
This recipe makes enough meatballs for two large pasta meals.
Makes about 40( 2-inch) meatballs
Ingredients
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb 85/15 ground beef
1 lb sweet Italian sausage
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Directions
In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions and garlic until softened. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs and milk together and stir until all of the breadcrumbs are moistened. Let sit for 5 minutes.
If you purchased the sausage in links, remove the casings. Sometimes you can find the sausage packaged in bulk (without the casing).
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, sausage, cheese, egg, salt, pepper, and soaked breadcrumbs. Mix with your hands a bit, and then add the garlic and onion. Continue to mix with your hands until everything looks evenly incorporated throughout the meat.
Shape into meatballs about 2-inches in diameter. Place them onto a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
When ready to cook, heat one quart of your favorite sauce in a large dutch oven over medium heat. When the sauce begins to bubble nestle half of the meatballs in a single layer, and cover. Cook for 30 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Remove the lid, and continue cooking 10 more minutes, adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
While the meatballs cook in the sauce, bring another large pot of water to boil and cook 1 lb of your choice of pasta to al dente. Drain and toss with the sauce and meatballs and serve.
To freeze the remaining uncooked meatballs for future use, place them on the baking sheet into the freezer for 4 hours. After they have frozen solid, transfer the meatballs to a resealable freezer bag.
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