Mum’s meatballs

Meatballs and sauce is a dish many of us associate with home, and it is definitely a recipe we grew up with. Every day, millions of people around the world make their own version of meatballs and sauce, each with their own special touch and tips passed down from their mother or grandmother.

Today I would like to share with you my mother’s recipe, which I have learnt to prepare with no small amount of effort. There are two reasons why I want to share it with you: firstly, because these meatballs are probably the softest I have ever tasted; and secondly, because my mother’s meatballs are simply the best!

But let’s get to the recipe itself. The first thing I want to point out is that the meatballs are fried, and I will explain why. My mother used to tell me that when my grandmother would make meatballs for about 14 people, there would sometimes be some left over after frying. So as not to waste food, she would reuse the meatballs in a tomato sauce the next day. I assure you that this step puts them two steps ahead of the classic meatballs in sauce.

Ingredients

• 600g mixed mince
• 1 rosette (Bread)
• 2 Egg
• Q.B. Salt
• Q.B. Pepper
• Q.B. Milk
• 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• Q.B. Breadcrumbs
• 1 bottle of tomato
• 1/2 onion
• Q.B. Basil
• Q.B. Extra virgin olive oil
• Q.B. Oil for frying

Directions

• In a bowl, put the minced meat, eggs, salt, pepper, parmesan and the bread soaked in milk in a cup, and mix until you have a homogeneous mixture.
• Prepare the meatballs, dip them in the breadcrumbs and fry them over a medium heat (8 on an induction hob), just until they’re brown and then finish cooking them in the tomato sauce.
• Once all the meatballs are cooked, it’s time to make the tomato sauce: first take a large saucepan, add the oil and the onion, sauté, add the tomato (don’t forget to clean the tomato left in the bottle with a little water), salt, add the basil and dip the meatballs in the sauce.
• Cook on a low heat for about 20 to 30 minutes and enjoy one of the best and softest meatballs in the world.

Notes

• We can add a sausage to give the mixture a stronger and tastier flavour.

The recipe is very simple to prepare. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until you have a homogeneous mixture. When adding the bread, I recommend soaking it in a cup of milk and then pouring it directly into the mixture. This will make the meatballs soft (and they will remain soft after cooking). If the mixture is too liquid, I recommend adding some breadcrumbs. I also recommend adding half a clove of garlic, peeled, halved and with the seeds removed, to make them even tastier. If you like, you can add chopped parsley or basil for extra flavour.