Classic Meatballs

With access to organic ground beef and sweet italian sausage, I decided to make some classic meatballs this weekend. This recipe is a variation of Mark Bittman's recipe in How to cook everything.

First, soak 1/2 cup breadcrumbs in 1/2 cup of milk. I didn't have processed breadcrumbs so I used some bread and ripped it into little pieces.



Saute 1/2 cup of minced onion in some olive oil (or butter) until soft.



Combine breadcrumbs with milk, onions, 1 egg, 2 lbs of meat (your choice of beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, etc), and salt and pepper to taste.





Roll out the meatballs approximately 1-1.5 inches in diameter.



To cook the meatballs you can either sear them in a nonstick pan with some butter (or olive oil). For a leaner option you can roast the meatballs in the oven 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes, shaking the meatballs occasionally to evenly roast the meatballs.

In the meantime, you can prep your favorite tomato sauce. I like to make mine sweeter than the average sauce to cut the acidity (just add some sugar).



Final Product.



Top with some chiffonade basil and you have an entree when coupled with fresh pasta or a mini-appetizer like this!

Happy Labor Day!