Excellent Meatballs

I got a special request for this recipe so I thought I would share it here as well. I thought I had posted it here before but I couldn't find it.

Fallenmonk's Meatballs

3 lbs. ground beef or if you are feeling like going upscale (1 beef, 1 pork, and 1 veal)
1 c. bread crumbs (I use Vigo Golden dried breadcrumbs)
1/2 c. Reggiano Parmesan cheese, grated finely
3 large eggs
4 - 6 cloves, finely chopped garlic

2 Tbsp Tomato paste
2 1/2 tsp. basil leaves (rubbed fine)
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1 1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive oil (EVOO) to be added last to prevent sticking

Depending on how big you make them this recipe should make a couple of dozen.

In large bowl, combine ground meat, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, tomato paste salt, pepper, basil, parsley, and eggs. Mix and blend thoroughly. Add oil and mix again.

Roll meatballs about the size of a ping-pong or golf ball ball. To keep them from sticking to your hands, keep hands moist with water. In frying pan, heat 1/2 cup peanut or canola oil. When oil is a very hot, brown meatballs quickly. Don’t crowd the pan so fry in two or three batches. You may have to add additional oil. Make sure they are brown enough, but be careful not to burn them. Set them aside until sauce is ready. If you don't want the mess of frying you can bake these in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until they are brown.

Once cooked and cool some of these can be frozen in zip lock bags into single servings and the rest used immediately with your favorite sauce and pasta.

Better yet warm the meatballs (5 – 6) with some left over spaghetti sauce and then fill a mini baguette from which you have cut off one end and removed most of the soft inner bread leaving an intact crust as a holder for your hot meatballs. Don’t forget some more grated Reggiano and a bit of grated mozzarella and some chopped fresh basil.