Friday Night Meatballs
A little over a year ago, I heard about a couple who changed their lives and the people in them through meatballs. They decided that, after a lifetime of rushing, stressing, and cleaning, they wanted to just be with the people they loved and reconnect with old friends without the expectation of perfection. So they started making meatballs every Friday and inviting over pretty much everyone they knew. They didn't research recipes on Pinterest, they didn't buy the perfect cloth napkins, and they didn't put a bunch of stuff in jars just to make it look like they've got it together. They just showed up. And they called it, "Friday Night Meatballs." ​
A year+ after I first heard of the idea, we're finally getting around to it our way: Meatballs once a month instead of meatballs once a week, and just for one year. I think there's something really beautiful about creating a place for the people to come and spend a Friday night without any pretense.
I’ve tweaked the recipe a couple times now, so I need to start writing it down before I forget since it’s a combination of several. My number one tip is to brown the meatballs and then place them in the oven, rather than just stovetop or just oven. My number two tip? Cook with wine - sometimes consider using it in the food.
Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce
Serves 10-12 people
Sauce Ingredients:Â
ÂĽ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces ground pork
1 chopped onion
3 garlic cloves (or more!)
2 28-ounce cans imported Italian crushed tomatoes
2 28-ounce cans tomato sauce
2 tiny cans tomato paste
Crushed red pepper
Pinch of dried oregano
Salt and ground black pepper
Fresh basil and parmesan cheese, for serving
Sauce Directions (you can do this a few days in advance):Â
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, then add the ground pork. SautĂ© until fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and move to the side. Add onion and sautĂ© until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sautĂ© just until softened.Â
Add tomato paste, and stir: cook until it absorbs fat in pan. Add oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, kosher salt and bay leaf, stirring to combine. Add tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes.Â
Bring sauce to a gentle boil. Turn heat down to a simmer, partly cover and leave sauce to simmer 21/2 hours or more, stirring regularly.Â
Take out the bay leaf before serving, add the meat you placed to the side and the meatballs before serving as well.Â
If it’s too acidic, add a pinch of sugar and a pinch of baking soda. Stir to combine (it’s going to get a little bubbly, that’s normal).
Meatball Ingredients:Â
1.5 C panko bread crumbs
3/4 C whole milk or half and half
2 pounds ground beef
2 pounds ground turkey
1 pound ground pork
2 onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1.5 sticks butter, softened
1 C shredded parmesan cheese
6 large eggs
1 C chopped parsley leaves
Salt, pepper
Oil for frying (I prefer coconut)
Meatball Directions:
Heat the oven to 350.Â
Soak the bread crumbs in the milk while you prepare the other ingredients.
Combine the meat into a REALLY large bowl. Add the onion, butter, eggs, parsley, and parmesan and season well with salt and pepper. Add the soaked bread crumbs into the bowl and mix it all together.
Slowly add up to 2 cups water, 1/2 cup at a time, until the mixture is moist; all the water may not be needed. (I only used about 1/2 a cup last time.)Â
Form the mixture into meatballs about the size of ping pong balls (or bigger, if you think that’s fun. I do.)
Heat about 1/4-inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the meatballs on both signs, about 3 minutes each side. I usually have 3 pans going at once (see the pic below).Â
Place the browned meatballs on a cookie sheet and place in the oven (or place the entire pan into the oven if you’re using something like cast iron, my personal fave.)
Cook until complete, about 10 more minutes.Â
If you want to remove the grease, place them individually on a cookie sheet covered with a paper towel before moving them over to the sauce.Â
I drew inspiration from these four recipes:Â
The original Friday Night Meatballs recipe:Â http://www.fridaynightmeatballs.com/recipe/
Food Network’s Juiceiest Meatballs Ever: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/the-juiciest-meat-balls-ever-recipe.html?soc=socialsharingpinterest&oc=linkback
NY Times Zappa Family Spaghetti Sauce:Â http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11518-zappa-family-spaghetti-sauce
Rao’s Meatball and Spaghetti Sauce: http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015971-raos-meatballs-with-marinara-sauce
