Meatballs in tomato sauce
Meatballs in Sauce with Santoro Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 500 g ground beef, or mixed beef and pork
- 100 g Santoro breadcrumbs, preferably stale but still soft
- 1 egg
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley, chopped, to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil for frying
For the sauce:
- 500 ml strained tomatoes (passata)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf, optional
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- A pinch of sugar, to correct tomato acidity
Instructions
1. Prepare the meatballs
- In a large bowl, place the ground meat and add the crumbled Santoro breadcrumbs.
- Add the egg, minced garlic, grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Mix all ingredients well with your hands until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.
- Take small portions of the mixture and form the meatballs, trying to make them all the same size.
2. Fry the meatballs
- Heat plenty of oil in a non-stick pan and, when hot, fry the meatballs, turning them gently to brown them evenly on all sides.
- When ready, transfer them to a plate lined with absorbent paper to remove excess oil.
3. Prepare the sauce
- In another pan, pour a little extra virgin olive oil and sauté the chopped onion until soft and golden.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring well.
- Add the strained tomatoes and a pinch of sugar, if necessary to balance the acidity.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- If desired, add a bay leaf for extra aroma.
4. Combine meatballs and sauce
- When the sauce is ready, gently add the fried meatballs, being careful not to break them.
- Simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes, so that the meatballs absorb the flavor of the sauce and become even tastier.
5. Serve
- Meatballs in sauce with Santoro breadcrumbs are ready. Serve them hot, accompanied by fresh bread for dipping in the sauce.
- You can also pair them with a side of vegetables or a good mashed potato.
Enjoy your meal!
