Italian Meatballs

 

Momma Videccia was all about making meatballs in the old-fashioned way, by hand. Hand mixed, hand rolled, and cooked in the oven. However, I adapted her recipe over the years to incorporate some modern conveniences. I still make these luscious meatballs in the old-fashioned way, by hand and hand-rolled, but instead of only cooking in the oven, I use my slow cooker to finish the cooking process.  

These can be made for a party, an appetizer, or as the main course, or in a sandwich.

You can prepare them ahead for effortless entertainment, allowing you to enjoy your gathering while serving a delicious crowd-pleaser!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup Italian-style panko breadcrumbs

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup grated Parmesan/Romano cheese

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

1/4 cup of water

1/4 cup minced fresh basil

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 pound ground beef

1/2-pound ground pork

1/2-pound ground veal

4 cups spaghetti sauce

Minced fresh parsley, optional

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°. In a small skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is tender and golden brown, 5-9 minutes. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine breadcrumbs, eggs, cheese, parsley, water, basil, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and onion mixture. Add ground meat; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 1-in. balls. Place on greased racks in shallow baking pans. Bake until browned, 20-25 minutes.

Transfer meatballs to a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. Pour spaghetti sauce over top. Cook, covered, on low until meatballs are cooked through, 3-4 hours. If desired, serve with minced parsley.

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing, with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts degree in Business Management, a bachelor’s in mass communication and cyber-analysis, a master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, gouache, and pastels. As a political operative who has worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 7 blogs ranging from art to life coaching, food, writing, Gardening, and opinion or history pieces each week.

Italian Cuisine, Mediterranean, Kilbride, Potpourri of Frugality, Homemade, Do it yourself