Grateful Grits

In our household, the love for Italian cuisine runs deep. I’ve navigated my way through the intricacies of preparing various Italian dishes with a fair amount of confidence, but for the longest time, there was one culinary Everest that seemed to loom large – meatballs. In my culinary journey, many meatball recipes proved to be an arduous endeavor, demanding what felt like an excessive amount of effort for a dish that, in essence, should be a simple delight. After numerous trials, errors, and a splash of kitchen creativity, I’m thrilled to say that I’ve cracked the code, unveiling a meatball recipe that requires minimal effort while delivering a bountiful payoff. And now, I’m eager to share this culinary triumph with you.

Let’s kick off our culinary adventure with the humble onion. Now, there might be myriad ways to dice an onion, but here’s a nifty trick I swear by. Begin by peeling the onion and halving it through the root. Trim the tip off the other end, creating a stable base. Now, lay the flat side down and perform horizontal cuts with your knife, keeping it parallel to the cutting board but stopping short of the root end. Next, execute vertical cuts down through the onion, ensuring the root end remains intact. Snip off the root, and give the onion a satisfying chop throughout. By keeping the root intact during the process, you’re ensuring a more even cut, and trust me, it’s a game-changer.

Now that your onion is beautifully diced, let’s set the stage for flavor. Heat up a skillet or cast iron over medium heat, generously drizzled with a tablespoon of olive oil. Into this sizzling haven, toss your diced onions, and let the symphony of aromas begin. Sprinkle salt and pepper throughout the cooking process, and let the onions dance in the pan until they attain that lovely translucent hue. It’s a process that takes about ten minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and intensify.

Once the onions have reached their peak of perfection, elevate the dish by introducing one to two teaspoons of minced garlic into the mix. Give it a good stir, and let these ingredients mingle and infuse their magic for an additional ten minutes. Now, turn off the heat, and let the concoction cool down gracefully, creating a tantalizing base that will soon become the heartbeat of your dish. As the onions and garlic cool, it’s the perfect moment to gather the rest of your ingredients, setting the stage for a culinary masterpiece that’s about to unfold.

In the vast expanse of a generously sized mixing bowl, embark on the creation of culinary magic. Begin the symphony of flavors by harmoniously combining one cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese, an equal measure of tantalizing Italian breadcrumbs, a robust pound of ground beef, and a decadent half-pound of ground Italian sausage (I occasionally lean towards a slightly more lavish inclusion of sausage for an intensified burst of flavor). Now, immerse your hands into this gastronomic medley, engaging in a tactile dance as you unite these ingredients. It’s a spirited endeavor to seamlessly infuse the breadcrumbs and cheese into the meat, requiring a touch of culinary finesse.

Once the initial amalgamation is achieved, introduce the binding force of eggs, employing a gentle yet firm squeeze to integrate them into the meaty embrace. Then, add the finely chopped onions, infusing their aromatic essence into the mixture. A final dash of liquid—water, in this case—serves as the culinary alchemist’s elixir, binding the components one last time. The caveat of this meatball odyssey lies in the necessity of relying solely on your hands; no utensil or machine can replace the personal touch required for this culinary symphony. Be forewarned; a tactile adventure awaits.

With the epicurean ensemble prepared, set it aside momentarily and usher in the next act by preheating your oven to a toasty 350 degrees. Equip yourself with a capacious baking sheet, its edges forming a protective lip, and line it gracefully with parchment paper. Crown this parchment with wire racks, anointed with a liberal spray of cooking oil to ensure the meaty treasures don’t cling in protest. While it’s entirely conceivable to bypass the racks and allow the meatballs to make direct contact with the parchment paper, my culinary inclinations lean towards a more refined approach, favoring the even cooking bestowed by the elevated wire racks. Though fear not, even sans the racks, the resulting meatballs will still be a palatable delight, albeit with a slightly different texture.

With your culinary stage now impeccably set, the time is ripe for the grand assembly of your meaty protagonists. The dimensions of these savory orbs are a matter of personal preference—whether petite or substantial, let your creative instincts guide you. With deft hands, roll the meat mixture into a brigade of spheres, placing them reverently onto the awaiting wire racks. The culmination of this savory saga unfolds in the heat of the oven, where the meatballs undergo a metamorphosis over the course of approximately twenty-five minutes, emerging as succulent, golden-hued treasures. Embrace the symphony of scents wafting through your kitchen as you usher forth these delectable creations—culinary alchemy at its finest.

As your meatball symphony orchestrates its flavorful crescendo in the oven, let’s prepare the stage for their grand finale. On the stovetop, kindle the gentle flames beneath a substantial saucepan, generously low in stature, as it is destined to cradle your culinary creations. The impending embrace between meatballs and marinara requires this vessel to be of considerable size. Now, here’s where your culinary sovereignty reigns supreme. Do you embark on a culinary odyssey, crafting a marinara masterpiece from scratch, or do you opt for the convenience of your trusted store-bought jar? The culinary universe bows to your preference.

As the oven’s performance concludes, retrieve your golden-brown meatballs with the utensil of your choosing—be it a spatula or the nimble grip of tongs. In my culinary domain, the choice between a hoagie sandwich and a pasta partnership divides preferences. The grown-ups in my abode lean towards the lofty summit of a hoagie, while the younglings revel in the comforting embrace of pasta. The culinary stage is yours to set; the choices abound.

Should the sandwich symphony resonate with your taste buds, effortlessly slice into the soft canvas of your chosen bread. Layer on the indulgence with a selection of cheese, our favorites being the melty allure of mozzarella or the sophisticated tang of provolone. As you take a hearty bite, the flavors meld in a crescendo of satisfaction.

For those who crave the pasta panorama, orchestrate a pot of boiling water to transform the chosen pasta into an al dente masterpiece. Crown this creation with the golden spheres of delight and a modest drizzle of the simmered marinara. Each forkful is a culinary journey through textures and flavors, a testament to your culinary prowess.

Regardless of your chosen culinary path, this recipe yields an abundance of gastronomic delights. Invite friends to partake in the feast or savor the leftovers, for in the realm of these meatball marvels, the joyous reverie knows no bounds. Bon appétit!

Marvelous Meatballs

Ingredients:

Olive Oil

1 medium onion diced

Salt

Pepper

1-2 teaspoons of minced garlic

1 lb. of ground beef

½ lb. of ground mild Italian sausage

2 eggs

1 cup of grated Parmesan

1 cup of Italian breadcrumbs

½ cup of water

* Marinara Sauce

*Hoagies or Pasta

*Cheese of your choice for sandwiches

Directions:

1. Sauté the onions in olive oil over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute or two. Set it aside.
2. Combine ground beef, ground sausage, parmesan, and breadcrumbs. Make sure the cheese and breadcrumbs are completely mixed into the meat.
3. Add the eggs, then the onions, then the water. Incorporating each ingredient before adding the next.
4. Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack on top of baking sheet.
5. Form the meatballs into your desired size and place them on the wire rack. Bake for twenty-five minutes.
6. Heat up your favorite marinara sauce in a large saucepan. When the meatballs are done in the oven place them into the marinara sauce for a few minutes.

Prepare the pasta or heat up the hoagies. If making sandwiches put three to four meatballs on the sandwich and top with cheese. If making pasta, top with desired meatballs and a bit of marinara sauce. Enjoy