Mario Batali Meatballs In Sauce Recipes

MAKE-AHEAD SHEET-PAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Place bread in a large bowl, pour milk over, and let sit until moistened, about 5 minutes. Squeeze bread with your hands to remove excess milk; discard milk. Tear bread into pea-size pieces and return to bowl.
• Add beef, sausage, eggs, Parmesan, and salt to bread. Using your hands, gently mix until evenly distributed (do not overmix).
• To serve immediately:
• Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 500°F. Lightly coat three 18x13" rimmed baking sheets with oil. Fill a small bowl with cool water. Moisten your hands and roll meat mixture between palms into ping pong-size balls (about 1.5" diameter; 1.2 oz. each), occasionally moistening hands as needed. Arrange meatballs 1/2" apart on prepared sheets.
• Roast meatballs, rotating racks top to bottom once halfway through, until lightly browned and cooked through, 8-10 minutes.
• To freeze to serve later:
• Line two 18x13" rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Fill a small bowl with cool water. Moisten your hands and roll meat mixture between palms into ping pong-size balls (about 1.5" diameter; 1.2 oz. each), occasionally moistening hands as needed. Arrange meatballs 1/4" apart on prepared sheets. Freeze on sheets until firm, about 1 hour. Transfer to an airtight container or resealable plastic bag and freeze up to 3 months.
• To cook meatballs from frozen, preheat oven to 500°F. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with oil. Transfer desired amount of frozen meatballs to prepared sheet and roast, turning once halfway through, until lightly browned and cooked through, 10-12 minutes.

SPAGHETTI MEATBALLS AND TOMATO-BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Bring a medium sauce pot of water to a boil over high heat, salt water and cook pasta to al dente 7 minutes or so, drain and quick-cool on a baking sheet.
• While pasta cooks, toast pine nuts. Make a thick herb pesto by placing the herbs, cheese, garlic and nuts in food processor with salt and pepper. Turn processor on and stream in about 1/3 cup olive oil - make the pesto very thick.
• Place meat in a bowl. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Add cooked pasta, egg, bread crumbs and half the pesto to the meat. Mix to combine and form into 16 balls, and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Let the spaghetti pop out of meatballs like porcupine quills. Coat balls with a little olive oil and roast 12 to 15 minutes until firm and golden in color. Remove from the oven and place on a serving platter.
• While meat roasts heat a healthy drizzle olive oil in a sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and carrots, season with salt and pepper, and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the stock, add tomatoes and crush with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook for 5 minutes more, then stir in remaining pesto and transfer to a serving bowl or 4 individual ramekins for dipping.

RAO'S MEATBALLS WITH MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, then add the salt pork. Sauté until fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard salt pork. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté just until softened. Add tomatoes with their juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 45 minutes. Add the basil, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute more.
• Make the meatballs: In a mixing bowl, combine the beef, veal and pork. Add the eggs, cheese, parsley and minced garlic, then salt and pepper as desired. Add the bread crumbs and mix well. 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. Shape into 1 1/2 -inch meatballs.
• Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic and sauté until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes, then discard the garlic. Working in batches and taking care not to crowd the pan, add meatballs and fry until undersides are brown and slightly crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn and brown the other sides, about 5 minutes more. Transfer cooked meatballs to paper towels to drain, then add to the marinara sauce. Mix gently and serve.

MARIO BATALI'S BIG TURKEY MEATBALLS - POLPETTE DI TACCHINO

Steps:

• Soak the bread crumbs in water to cover for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water.
• In large bowl, combine turkey, prosciutto, sausage, bread crumbs, eggs, milk, 1/4 c of the pecorino, the Parmigiano, 1/2 c of the parsley, the nutmeg and 1/4 c of the olive oil. Mix very gently with your hands. Season with salt and pepper. Form into 1" balls. Place balls on a baking sheet, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.
• Put the tomato sauce in a pan and bring to a boil. Place the meatballs in the sauce and return to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Transfer to a platter and serve with the remaining 1/4 cup each of pecorino and parsley sprinkled over the top.