# I need a meatball and simple tomato sauce recipe ???



## Moses the armenian (Apr 24, 2014)

Hello . 

sorry if this is a total noob question but I need an easy Italian meat ball and simple tomato sauce recipe ? I have tried several recipes but they either come out dry and hard or greasy and mushy depending on the recipe I use. 

For the sauceI'm just looking for a very simple tomato sauce very light on the seasonings I'm not looking for something that is just drenched with oregano. I have access to good imported san Marzano Italian tomatoes and imported tutti tomato puree. using this to a sebaceous can you recommend anything? again I'm looking for something very simple for both the sauce and the meatballs.

thanks guys !!


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## LeperoftheFaith (Apr 24, 2014)

The last couple times I made meatballs I use a cheater method. I buy pre-made spicy italian sausages and take the meat out of the casing and mix with ground beef. Roughy 1 lb ground beef to 6 sausages. I then add an egg, bread crumbs, parsley, sweated onions and garlic, red pepper flakes, ground pepper and salt. Brown the balls in same pan you did onions and garlic and set aside. I then add the tomatoes to the pan to deglaze, maybe throw in an anchovy. Put all the meatballs back in the sauce and put in oven til done.


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## jgraeff (Apr 24, 2014)

Best tomato sauce I've made is basic-

Few whole ripe tomatoes of your choice
2 parts cans of tomato juice and chopped or crushed tomatoes. 
1 part tomato paste 

1 onion or shallots small dice 
Lots of pressed garlic your estimate 
Lots of olive oil. 
Fresh basil and thyme
Black pepper 
I like to use veggie base in mine but salt if good ( add last because it may not need salt) 

The trick to tomato sauce is cool for a long time! Once you cook out the acidity it will transform into something delicious. 

So sweat onions in about 1/2-1 cup oil depending on batch size. Once soft add whole tomatoes on high heat, color tomatoes, add herbs and garlic cook out for 2 minutes, add all tomato product and bring to boil rapidly while stirring once there turn down to lowest and let simmer for at least and hour I prefer 2-3. 

You just stir this often or it can burn. You just want to see bubbles here and there. 

Check for salt and pepper and good to go. You can use only canned it works great fo. If you use whole tomatoes I like to blitz it with a hand blender. 

You can adjust to your flavor, if it's too thick just add a little water( veggie stock or chicken stock )


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## Erilyn75 (Apr 24, 2014)

2 large cans crushed tomatoes pulsed in blender to desired consistency
Minced garlic to your taste (we love garlic so I use about 8 cloves)
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 large onion diced
Olive oil
Basil bunch
Parmesan rind
Pat of butter
Salt to taste
1/2C milk or half &half heated
1 beef bullion cube

Heat olive oil in pan and add onions and pinch of red pepper flakes cook until softened. 
Add in desired amount of garlic and sauté for about 30s being careful not to burn. 
Add tomatoes, milk, bullion and Parmesan rind, simmer on low partially uncovered for 45min. Stirring occasionally. 
In the last 5 min pull out Parmesan rind and add in a TBS of butter, stir to combine then add in basil. 



Meatballs: I can't give you exact measurements, I've made them for so long I just go by look. I really should write it down. 

1 pound each ground sirloin, ground pork and ground veal
1 egg slightly beaten
2 TBS (or 2 good squirts) Tomato paste 
3 slices of bread soaked in milk
1 shallot grated 
4-5 cloves garlic grated (more or less depending on how big the cloves are and how much you like garlic)
Parsley chopped
Handful Grated Parmesan 
1/2 Palmful Dried oregano
1/2 palmful Dried sage
3 good pinches Salt
2tsp Pepper
Drizzle of olive oil

Add everything into a bowl Breaking up the milk soaked bread into crumbs as you add it to the bowl. Gently combine ingredients. Make a tester meatball to see if you need to adjust seasoning. It's 3lbs of meat so don't be too shy with the seasoning.



ETA: to keep the sauce ultra simple: olive oil, onions, red pepper flakes, garlic and basil as described above is the base recipe. I've added to it over the years


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## Norton (Apr 24, 2014)

The parmesan rind is a new one for me. Umami, maybe?


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## Erilyn75 (Apr 24, 2014)

Norton said:


> The parmesan rind is a new one for me. Umami, maybe?



Lol ya. I save my Parmesan and Romano rinds and add them to soups. I just happened to be putting a big block of it through the food processor one day while making sauce and figured, why not. It kinda stuck lol.


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## Mucho Bocho (Apr 25, 2014)

Erilyn, That's my meatball recipe! including the milk soaked bread. I like to then roll the ball in flour spiked with dried beef seasoning and fry in pan, then add tomato sauce to that pan and cook until balls are 155 in the center. Then cool completely and refrigerate. Then reheat on stove. 




Erilyn75 said:


> 2 large cans crushed tomatoes pulsed in blender to desired consistency
> Minced garlic to your taste (we love garlic so I use about 8 cloves)
> Pinch red pepper flakes
> 1 large onion diced
> ...


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## CoqaVin (Apr 25, 2014)

Mucho Bocho said:


> Erilyn, That's my meatball recipe! including the milk soaked bread. I like to then roll the ball in flour spiked with dried beef seasoning and fry in pan, then add tomato sauce to that pan and cook until balls are 155 in the center. Then cool completely and refrigerate. Then reheat on stove.



I need to get around to writing down my recipes one day

It is a little different simple for me Yes.

Being a chef I have changed many of the ingredients like instead of a oregano I use marjoram (french oregano) instead of white onions I use Red, instead of parm cheese I use aged Asiago, instead of tomato juice I use red wine, and I always have to use San Marzano DOP tomatoes if I am making it for my home


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## panda (Apr 25, 2014)

this:
https://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/the-perfect-italian-meatballs-2606824.html


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## Erilyn75 (Apr 25, 2014)

Mucho Bocho said:


> Erilyn, That's my meatball recipe! including the milk soaked bread. I like to then roll the ball in flour spiked with dried beef seasoning and fry in pan, then add tomato sauce to that pan and cook until balls are 155 in the center. Then cool completely and refrigerate. Then reheat on stove.



I bake mine or add them right to the sauce. I try to cut out as much flour in my diet as possible but I bet they are down right tasty. When you say dried beef seasoning are you talking about beef granules? 

Oh btw, my mom lives in Olivia, a little town between Fayetteville and Sanford. Next time I visit, we should get together!



Also, for the sauce I meant to write 2 cans of diced or whole tomatoes, not crushed. Can't edit it now


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## Erilyn75 (Apr 25, 2014)

panda said:


> this:
> https://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/the-perfect-italian-meatballs-2606824.html



I love Fabio. That was one of my favorite seasons of TC.


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## Moses the armenian (Apr 26, 2014)

Guys thanks for the recipies I will try it for Sunday diner . 

please advise how long and what temp to cook in the oven or is it required to fry in oil the meat balls I am trying to cut down on fat ? 

thanks 

Moses


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## CoqaVin (Apr 26, 2014)

no you do not have to fry them you can just get some color in the pan first then finish in the oven not sure how long


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## Erilyn75 (Apr 27, 2014)

They aren't very big so they won't take long to cook. Maybe 15-20 min at 400. Cool left over meatballs and then freeze. It makes enough for 2 dinners with leftovers for a family of 5.


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## Mucho Bocho (Apr 28, 2014)

Erilyn, definitely let me know when you do come back to NC. We'll have a meatball cook off. LOL. Instead of flour you could use can also dust them in dried milk powder.

I use packets from Knorr

http://www.knorr.com/product/detail/246070/beef-au-jus


The reason I cook the dish then let cool overnight is so that I can remove most of the fat/grease/oil before reheating it. 

Moses, from a flavor perspective fry/bake the meat balls to prevent them from coming out boiled with soft mushy even slimy exterior and a spongy texture. You've got to get some Maillard on that beef or your going to get spaghetti-o level meatballs.


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## apicius9 (Apr 29, 2014)

I am kind of ashamed. I made a meat sauce tonight: sear 5# of beef, a few onions, season, tomato paste, deglaze, add two jars of Newman's Marinara, one jar of Newman's tomato & basil, adjust to taste, cook for an hour, done. Will go into the freezer as 'emergency food' for the times when I am tempted to get some junk because I am too tired to cook. Not exactly on topic, but an example of a European who would have made everything from scratch years ago having adapted to the 'American way'. I know, it's sad...

Stefan


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## jimbob (Apr 29, 2014)

All this reminds me of the kff cookbook thread. Anyone know what became of that?


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## boomchakabowwow (Apr 29, 2014)

tomato sauce.

here is my fast sauce. two 28 oz cans of tomato puree. i like Cento.

olive oil and butter in a pot. pinch of red pepper flakes. scoop in a big pile of grated onion. yup..onion on a box grater. get it hot..and soft. stir in chopped garlic. 30 seconds..splash of wine. whatever wine. cook it away. dump in the tomatoes..let it simmer. done. salt pepper to taste. now done.


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## WildBoar (Apr 29, 2014)

apicius9 said:


> ...but an example of a European who would have made everything from scratch years ago having adapted to the 'American way'. I know, it's sad...


Stefan, don't even go there. If you were still in Germany you would have cheated as well. :spankarse:


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## bear1889 (Apr 29, 2014)

Erilyn75 said:


> I love Fabio. That was one of my favorite seasons of TC.



Okay this guy was extremely entertaining, of course it could be the two shots of 1792 and the two dragon's milk....great recipe for meatballs.


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