SANTUCCI'S IRISH MEATBALLS

Growing up in the Midwest, the closest thing to Italian food we ever had was Chef Boyardee's Spaghetti-O's or pizza from a box.  When I married my husband, I quickly realized what 'Little Italy' meant--his family immigrated to America from Italy (the Santucci's) and Ireland and living in NYC surrounded by Italian deli's, grocers and restaurants convinced me I'd better figure out how to cook Italian in my cucina.  Lucky for me, I had some idea what it should taste like after two trips to Italy.

Sundays are 'pasta' day in our house.  Most are spent cooking sauce for ravioli, rigatoni or spaghetti.  After much research and trial and error, the best meals seem to come from my meatballs.  You will never use frozen meatballs again if you go to the trouble of preparing these wonderful polpetta di carne.  You may also decide to grow basil, oregano and parsley because nothing compares to your own garden-grown herbs.

Plan on spending some time putting these meatballs together, but mama mia, magnifico!

SANTUCCI IRISH MEATBALLS:

For the meatballs: makes about 18
2 slices of day old bread--preferably Italian or French
1/2 c milk

1 lb hamburger meat or 1/2 lb hamburger and 1/2 lb ground pork
2 links mild Italian links, casings removed
1 TBSP pesto
1/2 c Italian breadcrumbs
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 egg
1/2 c grated Pecorino Romano cheese
In a medium-sized bowl that you will be able to mix all ingredients in, tear bread into small pieces, add milk, mix lightly and set aside.

In small skillet or saucepan over medium heat, drizzle about 2 TBSP olive oil and add chopped onion.  Cook for about 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic.  Cook another minute, stirring and  set aside.

In a separate bowl, blend together remaining ingredients except cheese.  Stir in onion/garlic mixture and add all to bread mixture, smoosh together with hands.  Add cheese and mix into meat.

Heat large skillet over medium heat.  Shape meatballs into pregnant-sized golfballs.  Cook to brown but you do not need to cook through--these will be added to the sauce and slow-cooked later.  What you want is a nice, crisp meatball--I brown two sides--place on paper towel to drain.  Do not crowd your skillet or you will have Italian Hamburger Helper when you try to turn the meatballs.  You can use tongs or two tablespoons to easily turn them.

To make the sauce:

1 jar Bertolli Tomato Basil Sauce--or your favorite pre-made sauce--this is only a base so don't get yourself all worked up it's not completely from scratch.
1 can 14.5 oz whole tomatoes (Cento or Red Gold are good brands)
2 TBSP Amore' tomato paste (this is Italian imported paste in a tube  you can find in most grocers)
1/4 c pesto
1/4 c dry red wine
1 tsp sugar--do not omit--this is very important to smooth the tomato acid taste
1 TBSP fresh basil
1 TBSP Italian blend seasoning
1/2 c grated Pecorino Romano cheese

In large pan, dump jar of sauce and whole tomatoes--either crush tomatoes in your hands or lightly mash with potato masher--you want chunky sauce.  Add remaining ingredients, stir well, cover and simmer over low heat for about a half hour.  Gently drop meatballs into sauce.  Cook for another 1-2 hours, occasionally stirring--gently.

Cook pasta of choice following package ingredients.  Top pasta with sauce, serve extra sauce for dipping bread.  Have generous amounts of grated Pecorino Romano and/or grate individually at table.  Delizioso!

San Gimignano, Sienna, Tuscany

Chianti wine is highly recommended or Vernaccia di San Gimignano white.

Buono appetito!