Roasted Sunday Meatballs
These are where it all began for me.
Growing up, there was no shortage of sauce and meatballs (and usually sausage, too) on Sundays — a sacred ritual for any Italian-American family. Having watched my dad and Nana roll meatballs since ‘91, it’s no surprise that they are one of the first things I learned to cook myself.
Living away at school, and for years after college living with my best friend (also Italian, and funnily enough, a 3rd? cousin), I couldn't resist keeping the tradition alive. Cooking meatballs and sauce for friends became equally sacred as Sundays at home, and I became ‘known’ for my recipe — and really into cooking.
So, what’s the top-secret family trick? Use 100% ground pork — it yields juicier, fluffier meatballs than any other mix of meats.
My twists? Adding the fennel, for a pork sausage vibe and the pancetta because, I mean, it’s pancetta. Roasting the meatballs (and finishing them under the broiler) instead of pan-frying creates their signature crust, without the mess.
Contrary to the age-old ‘spaghetti and meatballs’ pairing, I prefer to serve with De Decco rigatoni (of course). Homemade sauce is a non-negotiable (again, duh).
Let’s cook!
You’ll need:
1 lb ground pork
1/2 c dry breadcrumbs (panko or traditional)
1/4 c whole milk
1/2 c quality, grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 egg
1 4-ounce package of diced pancetta
1/2 tsp whole fennel seeds (or ground, if you don’t own a mortar and pestle)
1 good splash of Italian red wine (whatever you’re drinking with dinner!)
1 handful fresh, rinsed flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/2 tsp onion powder
Salt & fresh-ground pepper
Makes about 12-15 meatballs.
Steps:
Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment.
Into a cold skillet (or, preferably — in the Dutch oven in which you’ll make your Sunday Sauce!), add the diced pancetta with a splash of olive oil. Bring to medium heat and sauté until browned. Drain in a small bowl lined with paper towel, set aside.
Crack egg into a medium-large mixing bowl, whisking quickly with a fork. Into the same bowl, add ground pork, breadcrumbs, milk, wine, grated cheese, garlic, onion powder, parsley. Salt and pepper.
In a mortar and pestle, grind the fennel seed - add to meatball mix, along with the drained pancetta (if preferred, dicing more finely first).
Using your hands, mix well — just enough for the mixture to be evenly combined. Roll into ~1 inch balls, about 15 in total, and line on sheet pan. Brush each with EVOO.
Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and turn on the broiler.
Brush again with EVOO, and broil for ~5 more minutes until golden brown.
Using tongs, add the meatballs to your pot of sauce — simmer until your pasta is ready.