Marinara with Meatballs

My Mother-in-Law makes meatballs. My Sister-in-Law makes meatballs. I'm sure my husband's Aunts make wonderful meatballs. Needless to say I have tremendous shoes to fill.


Judging from the happy groans around the table...I think I hit this one out of the park. Please read through recipe before starting...you split the onion mixture between the sauce and the meatballs.


Marinara with Meatballs: 
(adapted from Cook's Country)


Onion Mix

• 1/4cup olive oil
• 3onions, chopped fine
• 8garlic cloves, minced
• 1tablespoon dried oregano
• 3/4teaspoon red pepper flakes

Sauce

• 1(6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1cup red cooking wine or dry red wine (if you have a bottle open)
• 1cup water
• 4(28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 1/2cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4cup fresh basil leaf
•  Salt
• 1.5teaspoons sugar

Meatballs

• 4slices white sandwich bread torn up
• 3/4cup milk
• 1/2pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1cup grated Parmesean cheese
• 1/2cup chopped fresh Italian parsley 
• 2large eggs
• 2garlic cloves, minced
• 1.5teaspoons salt
• 2.5pounds ground beef chuck (80 percent lean)
• 
  
• Instructions:

• 1. For the onion mixture: Heat oil in LARGE Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onions until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer half of onion mixture to large bowl and set aside.
• 2. For the sauce: Add tomato paste to remaining onion mixture in pot and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in water and tomatoes and simmer over low heat until sauce is no longer watery, 45 to 60 minutes. Stir in cheese and basil and adjust seasonings with salt and sugar.
• 3. For the meatballs: Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Mash bread and milk in bowl with reserved onion mixture until smooth...and by smooth I mean no lumps. Otherwise you will have bread chunks in your meatballs which is a bit weird.  Add remaining ingredients, except ground beef, to bowl and mash to combine. Add beef and knead with hands until well combined. Form mixture into 2 1/2-inch meatballs (you should have about 16 meatballs), place on rimmed baking sheet, and bake until well browned, about 20 minutes.
• 4. Transfer meatballs to pot with sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over pasta. I use a fork friendly pasta my kids can pick up...not spaghetti or anything long.