Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY 1 MAART, 2017

A32 FEATURE
Wednesday 1 March 2017
Meatballs are a hearty dish for a late-winter dinner

SARA MOULTON
Associated Press
After the Mona Lisa, It-
aly’s most beloved and
enduring gift to world
culture might be the
meatball. But talk to any
two Italian cooks about
which ingredients actu-
ally comprise a meatball
and you’re going to get
an argument. Fine. I took
this contentiousness as
a license to concoct a
meatball recipe of my
own using the best tips
from Italian friends and
colleagues.
Let’s start with the meat
in this meatball. Ideally,
it should be an equal
mix of beef, pork and
veal, allowing each one
to contribute its own
unique flavor and tex-
ture. If you can’t find
ground veal at your su-
permarket, opt for the
meatloaf mix, which
contains all three meats. meatballs and the sauce for garnish and turning them gently for 30 seconds. Add the
If there’s no ground veal benefit greatly. In the bowl of a stand until they are browned tomatoes and a hefty
and no meatloaf mix, This hearty dish is tailor- mixer, soak the bread on several sides. Transfer pinch of salt, bring to a
you’ll be fine with half made for a blustery late- crumbs in the milk for 20 them to a paper towel- boil, reduce the heat,
pork and half beef. winter dinner. minutes. lined plate. Repeat the and cook at a brisk sim-
To amp up the flavor to There won’t be much Add the ground beef, procedure with the re- mer until the sauce is re-
an even higher level, argument at the table pork, veal, prosciutto, maining flour, oil and duced to about 5 cups,
I’ve prescribed several about its deliciousness. Parmigiano-Reggiano, meatballs. 20 to 25 minutes. Discard
umami bombs: prosciut- BETTER MEATBALLS egg, tomato paste, gar- Add the wine to the skil- the garlic. Season with
to, Parmigiano-Reggia- Start to finish: 2 hours, 15 lic, salt and pepper, and let and simmer it, scrap- salt to taste.
no and tomato paste. minutes (1 hour, 15 min- using a paddle attach- ing up the brown bits, un- ___
And of course, minced utes active) ment, beat the mixture til it is reduced by half. In Nutrition information per
garlic.Tradition requires Servings: 6 for 1 minute or until it is a large saucepan com- serving of the meatballs:
meatballs to be cooked 3/4 cup fresh bread very well mixed. (Note: If bine the meatballs with 739 calories; 223 calo-
well done, which can crumbs you don’t have a stand the marinara and the ries from fat; 25 g fat (8
make them dry. Accord- 1/2 cup whole milk mixer, just mix all the in- reduced wine. Bring the g saturated; 0 g trans
ingly, I’ve combined 1/2 pound ground beef gredients well with your liquid just up to a boil, fats); 128 mg cholesterol;
the meat mixture with (85 percent lean) hands for about 3 min- turn it down to a simmer 874 mg sodium; 78 g car-
a panade. Panade, a 1/2 pound ground pork utes.) and simmer it gently, stir- bohydrate; 4 g fiber; 5 g
paste made of bread- 1/2 pound ground veal Pinch off a little bit of ring occasionally, for 20 sugar; 43 g protein.
crumbs soaked in milk, 2 ounces prosciutto, fine- the meat mixture, form minutes. Nutrition information per
keeps the meat juicy as ly chopped it into a patty and in a Speedy Marinara Sauce serving of the sauce:
the meatballs cook. 2 ounces finely grated small skillet saute it until it Makes: About 5 cups 628 calories; 346 calo-
Of course, when you Parmigiano-Reggiano, is cooked through. Taste 4 large garlic cloves, ries from fat; 38 g fat (5 g
make meatballs, you plus extra for garnish and add more salt and smashed saturated; 0 g trans fats);
want them to retain their 1 large egg pepper, if desired. Scoop 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive 0 mg cholesterol; 493
shape. A raw egg helps 2 tablespoons tomato out the mixture, prefer- oil mg sodium; 48 g carbo-
to bind the ingredients, paste ably using a 1-ounce ice 1/4 teaspoon red pep- hydrate; 18 g fiber; 27 g
but you also want to be 2 teaspoons minced gar- cream scoop and roll per flakes sugar; 10 g protein.
sure to mix them rigor- lic into balls. (If you don’t 2 (28-ounce) cans plum ______________
ously, either in a stand 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt have an ice cream tomatoes (preferably EDITOR’S NOTE: Sara
mixer or with your hands. 1/2 teaspoon black pep- scoop, roll the meat into fire-roasted), chopped Moulton is host of pub-
Refrigerating the meat- per walnut-size balls.) Chill Kosher salt lic television’s “Sara’s
balls for 30 minutes be- 3 tablespoons vegetable for 30 minutes. In an unheated me- Weeknight Meals.” She
fore sauteing them also oil plus extra for cooking In a large skillet heat half dium saucepan com- was executive chef at
helps. the little patty the oil over medium-high bine the garlic and the Gourmet magazine
The finishing touch is to 1/2 cup all-purpose flour heat. Toss half the meat- oil. Reduce the heat to for nearly 25 years and
simmer the meatballs 1/2 cup red wine balls in the flour, shaking medium and cook, turn- spent a decade hosting
in the tomato sauce. Marinara Sauce (recipe off the excess and add ing over the garlic sev- several Food Network
This process allows for below) or 5 cups store- them to the hot oil. Re- eral times, until it is just shows, including “Cook-
an exchange of flavors. bought marinara duce the heat to medi- golden, 4 to 6 minutes. ing Live.” Her latest cook-
Indeed, I think of it as 1 pound spaghetti um and cook the meat- Add the red pepper book is “Home Cooking
a marriage. Both the Chopped fresh parsley balls, shaking the pan flakes and cook, stirring, 101.”q