Gather round the table for some classic Italian cuisine. Sauteed meatballs infused with parsley, basil and garlic in a white wine sauce make for a delicious homemade meal. Here's how to assemble, cook and serve this authentic rustic dish.
Classic Italian Meatballs
Ingredients:
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef with the parsley, basil and garlic, using hands.
- Crack the egg into the bowl and mix it into the ground beef mixture.
- Add the Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs to the mixture and knead until well combined.
- Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
- Form the mixture into meatballs approximately 1 1/2-inches in size.
- Set the raw meatballs on a prep plate next to the stove.
- In a large heavy frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the chopped yellow onion, and saute about 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the meatballs to the pan and roll them around in the onions.
- Cook the meatballs for 18-20 minutes, rolling them around frequently to ensure even browning.
- Add the white wine to the pan and continue to saute the meatballs for another two minutes.
- Remove the meatballs and place them onto a serving plate.
- Pour the wine sauce over the meatballs.
- Serve the meatballs hot.
Meatballs are a hearty main course, especially served with a side of pasta and sauce. To use these meatballs in marinara sauce, remove them from the pan using a slotted spoon and place into a large pot of sauce. Let them simmer in the heated sauce for 5-8 minutes.
These meatballs also work well as an appetizer, and can be made mini-sized for parties. Simply reduce the size of the meatballs to just under an inch and reduce the cooking time to 10-15 minutes. Serve on a tray along with some toothpicks for mess-free eating.
For a lighter variation, substitute the ground beef for ground turkey. Do not use extra lean ground turkey because the meatballs will turn out dry. Regular or lean ground turkey works best when using this recipe.
When making this recipe it is best to use homemade breadcrumbs if possible. To make breadcrumbs, simply place 1/2 cup cubed stale bread into a gallon sized ziploc bag and mash with a rolling pin until breadcrumbs are formed.
Whether served alone with white wine sauce or on top of spaghetti with marinara, sprinkle the meatballs with a pinch of chopped fresh parsley for added garnish. Upon savoring this classic Italian dish, guests will find that eating just one meatball is never enough.
 |
