Meatballs

My mom’s recipe.

• 1 lb ground beef (I prefer to grind my own out of tritip)
• 1 egg
• 3 slices white bread
• 1/3 cup parmesan or pecorino cheese
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• Salt, pepper, parsley, garlic powder (or the sauteed garlic from making Sauce)

Take the white bread and scrunch the slices into a ball in your hands, then hold your hands under the faucet and add water to the ball until it is mushy. Squeeze out the excess water. Add the soaked bread and all of the other ingredients to a bowl, making sure to crush the parsley flakes in your hand before sprinkling in. The seasonings are to taste, but you will cook a sample to confirm. You can always add more but you can’t take away, so be conservative in your seasoning. Mix well, you can use your hands or a spoon. Once mixture is cohesive, you can take a pinch of meat and cook it in a skillet to check the seasoning. Adjust seasoning if needed. Then portion the meatballs according to your preference. I like about 2 tbsp per ball. Roll the meatballs between your hands until it does not show any cracks and is even. Place the meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes until browned and set. You can check the temp to ensure the doneness, but it is not necessary if you are adding them to sauce to simmer, as they will continue to cook.

Serve with Red Sauce and pasta, or in sandwiches, or along side mashed potatoes and greens. You can also use this mixture to make a meatloaf.