Meatball Parmesan

This is a simple recipe for a quick meatball dish that can be eaten as is or served on a toasted roll in a sandwich style. In either case, pairing with a Sangiovese will bring out the classic Chianti notes of red fruit and dusty, soft tannins – delicioso!

Instructions:

Remove crusts from bread and discard (or feed to the birds!). Tear bread into small pieces into a small bowl. Pour milk over the bread and let stand until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 5-10 minutes. 

In a large bowl, combine veal or pork with the beef, onion, soaked bread, ¼ cup Parmesan, parsley, garlic, salt & pepper. Mix well and form into golf ball size meatballs. These can be made 24 hours before cooking, covered and refrigerated. 

Turn on the oven to 400 degrees. 

Fill a large skillet with 1⁄4 oil and place over medium high heat. When hot, fry the meatballs in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown (8-10 minutes/batch)l Transfer cooked meatballs to a plate lined with a paper towel. 

Into a 9 x 13 inch baking pan, spoon a thin layer of tomato sauce and sprinkle ⅓ of the remaining cup of Parmesan over the sauce. Scatter ½ of the meatballs over the sauce and cheese and top with ½ of the mozzarella. Top with half of the remaining sauce, another third of the Parmesan, the meatballs, and then the mozzarella, ending with a final layer of sauce and Parmesan. Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Let cool a few minutes before serving. 

Pair with the 2021 Estate Sangiovese.