Bonnies Italian Meatballs Recipes

BONNIE'S ITALIAN STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• For the meatballs:
• Pour the milk over bread and soak to soften.
• Place the meat in a mixing bowl and add the cheese, EVOO, fennel, crushed red pepper, garlic, egg, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Squeeze the excess milk from the bread and crumble into crumbs as you add it to the meat. Combine the meatball mix and roll into 2-inch balls. Place the meatballs on nonstick baking sheet sprayed with olive oil spray and roast until browned but not fully cooked, 10 to 12 minutes.
• For the stew:
• Meanwhile, heat the EVOO in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions and bay, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and stir until fragrant. Add the beef stock and tomatoes, then break up the tomatoes with a potato masher. Add the basil, potatoes and meatballs and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat back to medium, partially cover and cook 10 minutes. Add the green beans and cook 7 to 8 minutes more.
• Serve, or cool completely and store for make-ahead meal. Reheat over a medium-low flame, partially covered, stirring occasionally (or reheat in a 325 degree F oven) until sauce is bubbly.
• To serve, top shallow bowls of stew with cheese and an extra drizzle of EVOO.

CHEF JOHN'S ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
• Soak bread crumbs in milk in a small bowl for 20 minutes.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onions in hot oil until translucent, about 20 minutes.
• Mix beef and pork together in a large bowl. Stir onions, bread crumb mixture, eggs, parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, Italian herb seasoning, and Parmesan cheese into meat mixture with a rubber spatula until combined. Cover and refrigerate for about one hour.
• Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Using wet hands, form meat mixture into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Arrange onto prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until browned and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

BONNIE'S SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS (ITALIANO)

Steps:

• 1. MAKE THE SPAGHETTI SAUCE: In a large pot, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until onion is light brown. Add the tomato puree, tomato sauce, water, parsley, salt, pepper, oregano, Italian herbs, marjoram and bay leaf. Stir with a wooden spoon, and bring to a boil, then turn to simmer, cover the pot and simmer 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, prepare the meatballs.
• 2. MAKE THE MEATBALLS: Note: do not brown the meatballs! In a small bowl, place the wheat bread and the 1/4 cup of water, let it soak while you combine the rest of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the ground beef, 2 eggs, parmesan cheese, parsley, wine, garlic, minced onion flakes, salt and pepper, basil, oregano, and the baking soda, then add the wet bread to the meat, tearing it into tiny pieces. Mix very gently with your hands; DO NOT over mix, as it makes the meatballs tough. Dampen your hands to form the meatballs. Make balls about the size of a golf ball. The recipe should make 20 to 24 meatballs. Put them on a plate, cover and refrigerate while the sauce simmers.
• 3. COOK THE SPAGHETTI: Put on a large pot to boil water, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, and salt. Cook it the way you like it. Some people like it al dente, others like it more done. When the spaghetti is cooked, drain, don't rinse, cover and keep hot until the meatballs have finished cooking.
• 4. COOKING THE MEATBALLS: When the sauce has simmered for one and one-half hours, then take a long handled spoon and carefully drop one meat ball at a time into the sauce. Do not disturb the meatballs or the sauce while it simmers uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir very gently to make sure they are not sticking to the bottom of the pot, and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes more.
• 5. Cook's Tip: You can serve the spaghetti and meatballs in a pasta dish as my photo depicts. Sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan cheese. We like red pepper flakes with ours. Keep out a few meatballs and sauce for great meatball sandwiches the next day! Enjoy!
• 6. Slow Cooker: I have also prepared this dish successfully in the slow cooker which runs a little hotter than a crockpot.

KITTENCAL'S ITALIAN MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
• Shape into small meatballs (at this point you can place on a jelly-roll/baking sheet and freeze to use later, or cover with plastic wrap refrigerate up to 24 hours before using).
• Drop the meatballs into simmering pasta sauce, do not stir for at least 20 minutes or you will risk breaking the meatballs.
• Continue cooking in the simmering sauce for another 20 minutes (depending on how fast your sauce is simmering 40 minutes total should fully cook the meatballs).
• After the 40 minutes cooking time continue cooking your sauce with the meatballs in for as long as desired.
• **note** you may also bake the meatballs at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until cooked through.

BONNIE'S ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• 1. Meatballs 101, Cook's Advice: Use a gentle hand when it comes to making meatballs. If you over mix them, they will be tough. For the most tender meatballs, mix the meat with the binder of milk and breadcrumbs and other ingredients just until everything is combined. Use a scoop to measure meatballs the same size. When making balls, don't pack them together too tightly, or they will cook up tough, rubbery, and chewy. Again, use a gentle hand when mixing and forming meatballs.
• 2. Lightly mix the meats, spices, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and cheese together.
• 3. Mix breadcrumbs with the milk. Add beaten eggs to the meat mixture.
• 4. Lightly mix by hand.
• 5. Forming the Meatballs: Using a 1 ½ inch or 2 inch scoop, make meatballs by scooping the mixture into your hand and gently forming a ball without packing the meat mixture.
• 6. Place the meatballs on the prepared pan.
• 7. Cooking the Meatballs: You can brown the meatballs on all sides in a heavy skillet, or you can use this oven method: Take a large sheet pan and line it with foil (reflective side up and they won't stick) and spray the pan with kitchen spray. Bake in a 375 oven about 30 minutes until the thermometer reaches 165 degrees. Do NOT overcook. Remember, some oven temps may vary.
• 8. These meatballs are delicious in soups or sauces. They don't fall apart.

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN GLUTEN FREE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
• Roll into meatballs.
• Fry meatballs in oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully about 10 minutes.
• Then simmer meatballs in 1 1/2-2 quarts of gluten free sauce.
• Serve and enjoy.

NONNA'S SPAGHETTI & MEATBALLS

Steps:

• To prepare meatballs: Lightly beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup onion, cheese, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Add beef, pork (or sausage) and veal; gently mix until combined (do not overmix). Using 1/4 cup for each, make 16 meatballs and place in a 6-quart slow cooker.
• To prepare sauce & spaghetti: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add wine and boil for 1 minute. Add crushed and diced tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Pour the sauce over the meatballs.
• Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours.
• 30 minutes before you're ready to eat, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions.
• Spoon any fat off the sauce; add oregano. Serve the meatballs and sauce over the spaghetti with extra Parmesan, if desired.