In Waterbury: When I was growing up we always made our meatballs with ground beef.
We always saved our left over loaves of Italian bread, which we grated as we were making the meatballs. We added grated cheese, one egg for each pound of meat and enough milk to moisten this mixture. Then we baked them in the oven in an oiled pan. Mostly likely it was Mazola Oil. The Olive Oil we had access to was so heavy and cloying tasting that we rarely used it.
Then as I got older and good ingredients became easier and easier to find in regular grocery stores we all changed our ways. I used Bertoli Virgin Olive Oil or some other brand name. Eventually really good quality olive oils proliferated and we all made a point of finding the best we could. We began to crush the garlic through our charming new garlic presses that we bought at Zabar’s or some other equally kitchen heavy place.
We began to use only fresh parsley and basil, hand chopped. But once bread crumbs were so easy to buy I don’t think I’ve ever gone back to grating my own bread crumbs again. Too many grated fingers.
Then I switched to a three way mix of ground pork, veal and beef works well. Usually about a pound a piece. Even better though is a 3 pound mix of ground veal and pork about a pound and a half each.
But eventually I realized that I like best a mix of half ground veal and half ground pork.
A head of parsley (sometimes)
An large amount of fresh basil finely chopped. (always)
Lots of crushed garlic, maybe six big cloves.
Lots of grated parmigiano cheese. I’d guess about a cup and a half or two cups grated–so loose. I grate on the largest holes of a four sided cheese grater.
Salt and pepper to taste.
You can grate in some nutmeg too. Don’t overwhelm it but say about a quarter of nutmeg.
About a cup or two of bread crumbs.
You can use milk to moisten, but I’ve been using heavy cream as in a pate`. As you like. The cream does make them especially great.
Olive oil in the bottom of the pan.
In an oven at 350 degrees turn when the bottom of the meatballs are browned and when you think they are browned enough on various sides, two to four sides. Remove the meatballs and eat one or two immediately. They are divine at this stage. Stand over the stove with a fork in your hand to eat at least your first one. You can use the residue in the bottom of the baking pan to start your next a tomato sauce.
Pour out the left over grease and meat residue, into a large 12 inch braising pan, getting as much as you can. Use a rubber spatula to get out as much of this delicious stuff as you can. In the large braising pan, sautee` about 5-6 whole cloves of garlic in this residue. You can slice them before or after you brown them in this grease. Then add two large 28 oz of whole or diced San Martzano tomatoes. Under no circumstances use the puree. It’s textureless. I’ve purchased it by mistake and used it but then I often add some texture with some fresh cherry or diced fresh tomatoes or at least one can of more textured boxed or canned tomatoes. I like the texture of the tomatoes cooked down. I add a generous head of fresh basil
Deglaze the pan of the grease and residue of meatballs and use that to be a start of your next tomato sauce.
