Italian balls

 

"Polpette al forno" or in english: oven baked meatballs. Again, this is not stricto sensu an actual italian recipe, more like a few mixed into one. So, in a cast iron heavy pan, you gently fry finely chopped onions, carrots, garlic and sage in a mix of olive oil & butter. Then add 1/3 of chopped tomatoes (fresh or tin - if the later, I do recommend Mutti), 1/3 of rich beef stock (or pork/beef/veal bones in you can put your hands on some), and 1/3 of red wine (Beaujolais in this case). Furthermore add cayenne pepper, chili flakes, black pepper, sea salt and a tea spoon of sugar. The total volume of liquid depends of the volume of the meat on use. Put the lid on and let the sauce slowly cook for an hour or so. If you're using bones, double that time. Now on to the meatballs: 1/2 minced beef + 1/2 minced pork (but you can use as well veal, or even meat from fresh pork sausages), 1 egg, a bit of freshly homemade bread crumbs, a good table spoon a garlic puree or more - depending how strong you like garlic taste, lots of chopped parsley, black pepper & sea salt.. Mix well and put on the side during the remaining time of the cooking of the sauce. When the sauce is ready, shape the balls and add them straight into the liquid, lid back on, and in the oven for 90min. at approx. 180° to start, then 150° for the remaining time. You know it's ready when the liquid has been reduced by 2/3 into a thick syrupy sauce. Best eaten on it's own with lightly toasted slices of country bread and a glass of good italian red wine.