If you think your mom makes the very best meatballs you ever had you are absolutely right. So does mine. All moms do. It's their thing. For kids who grew up in Italian-American (or like me, Italian-American by proxy) families. meatballs are a totally personal thing. Like snowflakes, no two family's meatball recipes are the same, and you come to have a certain expectation of what a meatball should be. I know I can't even eat meatballs outside my (or my mother's) home unless they have been previously vetted by someone I trust. That's how important they are. On Mother's day, I'm treating you to my attempt at my mom's meatballs, which I consider to be undeniably the best in the world. We ate these weekly, usually with thin spaghetti, sometimes with accompanying sweet fennel sausage, occasionally tucked into Italian bread and blanketed with melted mozzarella, and once and a while paired with my favorite, rigatoni. Nestled lovingly in mom's homemade marinara sauce, they were an exercise in devotion and gentle reminder of how much she loved us.
Think beyond spaghetti for your meatballs - the options are endless!
I think what differentiates between mom's meatballs and many other recipes is that she makes them a little smaller (golf-ball sized), and always bakes them instead of frying before simmering in her sauce. And she bakes them on a broiler pan, allowing the fat to drip off and the meat to caramelize. Over the years, I've watched mom make her meatballs a million times, never measuring anything precisely. Even so, they always come out tasting exactly the way I remember, like perfectly tender bites of heaven.
On their way to the oven - look away from my terrible broiler pan
My version includes all the usual players of mom's recipe, but I've measured them out to make it easy for you. Mom usually uses ground beef (80/20), or a beef/veal combo. I sometimes use a pork/beef combo for a rich flavor. The meatballs in the photos are made with some gorgeous wagyu ground beef we got in a butcher's pack. They were delicious. I also use ground turkey often (much to chagrin of my father who claims to hate ground turkey, but I fed him some on their last trip here and he couldn't tell the difference.) They are forgiving, as long as you follow the preparation and cooking method and make sure to simmer them in sauce for at least an hour to ensure pillowy soft, tender meatballs that melt in your mouth . Your patience will be rewarded.
So with this homage today I'm offering my meatballs as the second best, because only your mom (or grandmother) can make the best meatballs. Its just science. I want to wish a very happy Mother's Day to all the meatball makers. Our childhoods wouldn't have been the same without your comforting meals, sage advice and warm hugs. Thank you for letting us join you in the kitchen, which was always the heart of the house. You made us who we are today, and we love you so very much.
The Second Best Meatballs in the World (makes about 24, but can easily be doubled or tripled)
Ingredients:
1 lb ground meat (80/20 beef, beef & veal, beef & pork, or even ground turkey)
1/2 cup Progresso Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Reggiano Parmigiano cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp grated yellow onion (grate over the bowl so you get the onion juice)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp dried parsley
Marinara sauce, homemade or a good jared one (Like Rao's) for simmering and serving
Method:
Grease a broiler pan with cooking spray. Heat oven to 375. Heat sauce on the stove to a gentle simmer.
Add the ingredients to a bowl and mix gently with very clean hands. Mix the meat unil you don't see any dry breadcrumbs and the whole thing looks like it's studded with onions and parsley.
Using a cookie scoop (looks like a smaller ice cream scoop, if you don't have one, use a tablespoon), dish out the mixture into your hand and roll into a ball. Wet your hands a little if it starts to stick. Roll out meatballs until you have no meat mixture left. Bake for 15 minutes until browned.
Simmer in marinara sauce over very low heat for at least an hour, but the longer the better. Make sure to stir occasionally so they don't stick to the bottom of the pot, You can even add them to your slow cooker on "low" and let them cook all day. Add a little water to the sauce if it gets too thick. Serve over pasta, or polenta, or on garlic bread with mozzarella broiled in the oven, or just in a bowl topped with parm. Can be frozen after baking (but before simmering in sauce) and will reheat beautifully in sauce.
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