Ingredients
• 3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 3/4 cup Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely minced
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 small onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup whole milk or half & half, plus more as needed
• 2 large eggs
• 2 pounds ground meat — 50% beef, 25% pork, 25% veal or whichever combination you prefer
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine salt, grated cheese, parsley, milk, and eggs. Give that a good whisk.
3. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs across the top of the mixture and let it sit for a minute before whisking it all together.
4. Add the meat and use your hands to very gently mix the meat and breadcrumb mixture until it’s homogeneous. Be careful not to overmix or the meatballs will get tough.
5. Wet your hands and form the meat into whatever size balls you desire. Space them out evenly on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Bake for about 7 minutes, then turn to the other side and bake for an additional 7 minutes. The meatballs should be nicely browned on two sides.
7. Add the meatballs with the other meats to the sauce. You can also add them later in the simmering process, giving them at least 90 minutes of simmer time.
Sunday Sauce
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 pounds pork loin, pork chops, ribs and/or neck bones
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 5 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
• Pinch of red chili flakes
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon each dried parsley, basil, fennel seed and oregano
• Pinch of sugar (optional)
• 1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage — hot, sweet or both
• Pasta for serving
• Pecorino Romano cheese, grated, for serving
• Ricotta cheese for serving
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Season the pork on all sides with salt and pepper, then sear until nicely browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
2. Lower the heat to medium, then add the onions to the pot and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, fennel seed and chili flakes, then continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the tomato paste for about 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, basil, oregano and parsley, then season with salt and pepper. Add sugar, if using.
6. Fill one empty tomato can 1/2 to 3/4 of the way with water and add it to the pot, then stir to combine.
7. Bring the sauce up to a boil, then add the pork, sausage and meatballs and reduce the heat to low.
8. Cover but leave the lid slightly ajar and simmer on the lowest possible heat setting, stirring about every 20 minutes to prevent the bottom from burning, for at least 3 hours, or until the pork is falling apart. Turn off the heat and allow the meats to sit in the sauce until ready to eat.
9. Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed. Remove the bay leaves, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the meats to a large platter.
10. Toss al dente pasta with a little bit of sauce, then transfer the rest to gravy boats or another serving vessel and serve the pasta with the platter of meats and sauce on the side, with a bowl of grated cheese and a bowl of ricotta for passing at the table.
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