VEAL BALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE
1 ½ poundsground lean veal
½ cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon Marsala
½ cup chopped onions
½ cup grated Parmesan
1 clove garlic, minced
2 ½ teaspoons salt
1 29-oz. can Italian-style tomatoes
½ teaspoons black pepper, freshlyground
2 tablespoons minced parsley, preferably flat-leaved Italian parsley, but curly will do
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan; sauté the onions 10 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes, and half the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat at least 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the meatballs
Mix together the ground veal, eggs, wine, cheese, and half the salt and pepper. Shape into 1-inch balls and roll lightly in the flour. (Definitely DO roll the balls in the flour. We use Wondra. Skipping this step may result in the meatballs’ falling apart, but, more importantly, the sauce will not thicken in an appealing way.*)
3. Add the floured meat balls to the simmering sauce. These meatballs are very, very fragile prior to cooking; so, place them in the sauce gently. Coverand cook over low heat one hour. Youmay cook in a moderate oven (325° F.) to avoid the possibility of burning the balls on the bottom of thedish, if that is a concern or if you are not going to be around to monitor thecooking constantly.
4. Taste for seasoning and sprinkle with the parsley, or serve it on theside at the table if you do not know if everyone likes fresh parsley. Serve with noodles.
Yield: Serves 4 to 5.
A family favorite since the early seventies. Adapted from Myra Waldo’s Around the World Meat Cookbook, now out of print, unfortunately.
*Though coating the meatballs with flour is not absolutely necessary, it is an old-fashioned Nanny-style trick, giving meatballs a more silky texture ( not desirable in all meatball dishes but definitely a plus with veal balls ) and the broth a slightly thicker, richer consistency.
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