Mini Meatballs with Tomato Sauce
The swim team is coming for dinner! The day before, have your child invite a team friend over to make this easy, tasty, kid-tested recipe, adapted from one in New Favorites for New Cooks by Carolyn Federman (Ten Speed Press, $20). When the crowd comes, set out the meatballs and sauce self-serve style, with sandwich rolls or pasta.
*Try with this Quick and Easy Tomato Sauce
How to Make It
1
Preheat oven to 425°. Roughly chop marjoram leaves (if larger than a ladybug) and reserve a heaping tablespoon.
2
Remove crusts from bread, then break bread into bite- size pieces. Measure 3 cups (loosely packed) and put into a bowl. Pour milk over bread and stir so all of it gets soaked. Crack eggs into a second bowl and remove any shell with a small spoon.
3
In a large bowl, combine beef, 1/2 tsp. salt, and about 1/4 tsp. pepper. Grate garlic into meat, using smallest holes of a box grater. Mix in egg, cheese, mustard, and marjoram with your just-washed hands.
4
When bread is soft, break it up by hand into very small (roly-poly–size) shreds. Mix soaked bread into meat.
5
Form mini meatballs by rolling about 2 tsp. meat between the palms of your hands. Arrange on 2 baking sheets in one uncrowded layer
6
Bake until well browned and cooked through, 15 to 18 minutes (cut one open to check). Scoop into a serving bowl and turn off the oven.
7
To make sandwiches, spoon some tomato sauce onto a roll and top with 5 or 6 meatballs. Add a little more sauce and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
MAKE AHEAD Cooked, cooled meatballs, up to 1 day, chilled, and up to 3 months, frozen. Thaw and reheat, uncovered, at 350° for 15 minutes.
Ingredients
6 sprigs fresh marjoram or oregano, leaves removed
4 thick slices rustic-style bread
½ cup whole milk
2 eggs
2 lbs ground beef
1 tsp coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Quick and Easy Tomato Sauce* recipe, warmed; or 7 cups store-bought marinara
10 lightly toasted and partly split hoagie or sub
Directions
1
Preheat oven to 425°. Roughly chop marjoram leaves (if larger than a ladybug) and reserve a heaping tablespoon.
2
Remove crusts from bread, then break bread into bite- size pieces. Measure 3 cups (loosely packed) and put into a bowl. Pour milk over bread and stir so all of it gets soaked. Crack eggs into a second bowl and remove any shell with a small spoon.
3
In a large bowl, combine beef, 1/2 tsp. salt, and about 1/4 tsp. pepper. Grate garlic into meat, using smallest holes of a box grater. Mix in egg, cheese, mustard, and marjoram with your just-washed hands.
4
When bread is soft, break it up by hand into very small (roly-poly–size) shreds. Mix soaked bread into meat.
5
Form mini meatballs by rolling about 2 tsp. meat between the palms of your hands. Arrange on 2 baking sheets in one uncrowded layer
6
Bake until well browned and cooked through, 15 to 18 minutes (cut one open to check). Scoop into a serving bowl and turn off the oven.
7
To make sandwiches, spoon some tomato sauce onto a roll and top with 5 or 6 meatballs. Add a little more sauce and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
MAKE AHEAD Cooked, cooled meatballs, up to 1 day, chilled, and up to 3 months, frozen. Thaw and reheat, uncovered, at 350° for 15 minutes.
Search All of Sunset's Recipes
The Latest
Take a Tour of the Dreamiest California Take on a French Kitchen Garden
