Tomato Sauce With Meatballs

Ingredients

• Hide ingredients for Tomato Sauce 1 Tomato Sauce (opens in new tab) Tomato Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • (1 small carrot, finely chopped)
  • (1 small celery rib with leaves, finely chopped)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • (1 tablespoon chopped basil, rosemary, sage, or thyme)
  • 2 pounds fresh plum or Roma tomatoes, peeled, and coarsely chopped, or one 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
  • (½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in boiling water until soft, and finely chopped)
  • 2 teaspoons tomato paste
  • ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Heat in a large skillet over medium heat: 2 tablespoons olive oil
  2. Add: 1 small onion, finely chopped; (1 small carrot, finely chopped); (1 small celery rib with leaves, finely chopped)
  3. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very soft, about 15 minutes. Add and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds: 2 garlic cloves, minced; (1 tablespoon chopped basil, rosemary, sage, or thyme)
  4. Stir in: 2 pounds fresh plum or Roma tomatoes, peeled, and coarsely chopped, or one 28-ounce can whole tomatoes; (½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in boiling water until soft, and finely chopped); 2 teaspoons tomato paste; ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste; ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  5. Simmer, uncovered, crushing the tomatoes with a potato masher or a wooden spoon to break them up, until the sauce is thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Pass through a food mill for a smooth sauce.
• Hide ingredients for Italian Meatballs 1 Italian Meatballs (opens in new tab) Italian Meatballs
  • (A tomato sauce)
  • 1 pound ground beef, half ground beef and ground pork, or 12 ounces lean ground beef and 4 ounces hot or mild Italian sausage, removed from its casings
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup chopped parsley
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • ½ cup fresh bread crumbs
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • (3 tablespoons dry red wine)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ cup flour
  • ¼ inch olive or vegetable oil

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. If desired, prepare: (A tomato sauce)
  2. Bring to a low simmer, cover, and have at the ready. Otherwise, preheat the oven to 200°F.
  3. Combine in a large bowl: 1 pound ground beef, half ground beef and ground pork, or 12 ounces lean ground beef and 4 ounces hot or mild Italian sausage, removed from its casings; 2 garlic cloves, minced; ½ cup chopped parsley; ½ cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces); 1 medium onion, finely chopped; ½ cup fresh bread crumbs; 1 large egg, beaten; (3 tablespoons dry red wine); 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  4. Mix with your hands. Scoop out the mixture in heaping tablespoons and form into 1 ½-inch balls. (You may form 2-inch balls or larger, but after browning them you will need to cook them further—either by simmering or baking—until they reach 160°F in the center.) Dredge the meatballs in: ½ cup flour
  5. Heat in a large skillet over medium heat: ¼ inch olive or vegetable oil
  6. When the oil shimmers, fry the meatballs in uncrowded batches, turning them several times so that they brown evenly. As the meatballs finish browning, transfer them to the warmed tomato sauce, if using. If not serving with a sauce, place the browned meatballs in a baking dish and transfer to the oven to keep warm.
  7. BROILED
  8. This method is quicker, less messy, and mostly hands-off.
  9. Prepare the mixture for I and set aside. Adjust an oven rack so it is 8 inches below the heat. Preheat the broiler. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Form the meat mixture into 1 ½-inch balls (omitting the flour dredge) and place them on the baking sheet in rows so they do not touch. Broil for 10 minutes and remove the baking sheet from the oven. Turn the balls with tongs, return to the oven, and broil until they are nicely browned all over and a thermometer inserted in the center registers at least 160°F, another 5 to 10 minutes.