The Meatballs.........

     I love meatballs more than anything, and I think I have them mastered!  The key is not to mix the meat to much with your hands.  I like to use beef and pork for mine, in a 2 part beef 1 part pork ratio.  First I saute some onions and garlic, usually I will double what I need for the sauce and remove half to a bowl to cool before adding my paste and making my red sauce, then use the other half for the meatballs.  In a large bowl, add your ground meat, the cooled onions and garlic, 1egg mixed for every pound of meat, salt and pepper to taste, some chopped parsley and grated parmigiana reggiano cheese.  I also like to soak a few pieces of quality Italian bread in milk, chop it in to cubes and add it to the mix.  Now gently fold the ingredients together only as much as you need to incorporate them.  I will layer mine when mixing by adding half the beef, eggs, parsley, etc. then the pork, then the other half of the ingredients, then rest of the beef so I don't have to mix as much ( over mixing makes them hard and tough).  Now refrigerate for a while to allow mix to get cold again and come together.  Then roll the meatballs in the size you want them and brown in a skillet with olive oil, rotating them to get even brownness on all sides.  A good trick to test the seasoning is to take a small amount of the mix and cook it and taste it to see if it needs salt, more cheese whatever.

I really think that browning the meatballs in a pan in olive oil is the only way to go.  It may take longer than putting them on a sheet pan and baking but you just can't duplicate that crust that the pan method gives.  Cook in batches not overcrowding the pan, and removing cook meatballs to a plate.  I always add my meatball to my red sauce after resting for a while, but still like to sneak 1 or 2 before they go in the sauce.  The meatballs finish in the sauce making each other taste better!!!