True Northern Italian Meatballs Recipes

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients in a large bowl by hand.
• Use your bare hands for best results.
• Roll meatballs to about the size of a golf ball. (wet your hands to prevent the meat from sticking to them while rolling the meat balls).
• Drop raw meatballs into large (I use a stock pot) pot of sauce.
• (I have an incredible sauce recipe {#92096} I use for my meatballs).
• Simmer for about 3 hours.

AUTHENTIC NORTHERN ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Place the chicken stock, onion, garlic and parsley in a blender of food processor and puree.
• In a large bowl, combine the pureed stock mix, meat, bread crumbs, eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, red pepper flakes and salt. Combine with both hands until mixture is uniform. Do not over mix.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Put a little olive oil on your hands and form mixture into balls about the size of golf balls. If you prefer bigger or smaller, it will only affect the browning time.
• Place 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil a baking sheet. Add the meatballs to the pan (working in batches if necessary). Place the meatballs in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
• While the meatballs are browning, heat the marinara sauce in a stockpot over medium heat. Transfer the baked meatballs to the marinara sauce. Stir gently. Simmer for 5 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.
• Serve with a little extra Parmigiano-Reggiano sprinkled on top. Serve alone over spaghetti.
• FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS: No matter what method of packing you decide to use, it is important once they have completely cooled, to place the meatballs on a baking sheet and freeze them before packing. You want the meatballs to be independent from one another for ease when you want to use them. If you have a vacuum sealer at home, please proceed packing the meatballs according to the manufacturers directions. If not, place the meatballs in airtight containers or freezer bags. You can pack the meatballs with the marinara sauce after you've frozen them, or you can pack the marinara separate from the meatballs.
• SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Please see photo gallery for all the different ways I have served these meatballs.

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• With clean hands, mix all ingredients except for milk and salt in very large bowl. Mixture will feel somewhat dry.
• Start adding milk approximately one cup at a time until the mixture feels more moist and pliable.
• Sprinkle the top of the mixture finely with the season salt and work that in as well.
• (The size of the meatball is up to you- I like them on the bigger side so I roll them bigger than a golfball but smaller than a tennnis ball. I also prefer baking them in the oven over frying them. They seem to brown more evenly and they hold their shape better.).
• Line them in a 9x13 pan sprayed with cooking spray (12 per pan) and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 20-30 min.'s or until browned.
• Transfer them carefully into your pot of simmering tomato sauce and simmer them only for about an hour. If you cook them too long in the sauce, they will lose their flavor.
• This is a good amount for a large crowd. You can freeze half if needed.