Meatball Recipe from his book “The Good Life! Favorite Italian Recipes”

Ingredients

Meatball Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 4 eggs
• 1-1/2 cup plain bread crumb
• 3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped

Gravy/Sauce Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 garlic clove chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste (Flotta or Pastene)
• 1 (6 ounce) can water (use empty tomato paste can)
• 2 (28 ounce) cans Pastene Kitchen Ready tomatoes
• 3/4 can water (21 ounces, use empty Kitchen Ready can)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped

In a bowl, mix all ingredients for meatballs with hands for about 5 minutes, until well mixed. Form about 16 meatballs and place on a platter. In a frying pan, add olive oil and when hot, add meatballs and cook on medium heat until browned. Repeat until all meatballs are browned. Place meatballs on a new platter. Do not discard the oil.

Sauté chopped onion and chopped garlic in the oil for approximately 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring all the while. Add can of water (tomato paste can) and cook and stir for 1 minute. Take off heat and set aside.

In an 8-quart pan, add tomatoes and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add 3/4 can water (Kitchen Ready can), tomato paste mixture from fry pan, and browned meatballs. Mix thoroughly, stirring carefully with wooden spoon as not to break meatballs. Add salt, ground pepper, and parsley and cook on medium heat for the first 15 minutes, then cover and cook on low heat for 2-1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent sticking and burning on bottom of pan, until done.

Serve over al dente pasta and sprinkle with some grated Pecorino Romano cheese, along with crusty Italian bread and a good bottle of red wine. Serves 6-8.