I have a meatball problem. I made this meatball recipe a while ago and went nuts over them. I made them again last night and I can't seem to escape them. Since I can't stopping telling people about these meatballs, or thinking about these meatballs, or, in fact, eating these meatballs I should just give you the recipe and shut up.
This is the meatball recipe from Amy Sedaris' I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence with a slight variation--and you don't even have to be on ludes to love them. I could be wrong, but I suspect that if you're like me and you're at all a human being and you eat meat (or even if you don't), you will probably love these meatballs.
If you live alone, half the recipe. You'll still probably be able to eat it all by yourself.
1 1/3 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
Mix these two together in a large bowl and put aside while you collect:
1 chopped onion (or if you think onions are disgusting, like I do, a chopped shallot)
6-8 chopped, fresh basil leaves
4 Tbsp. parsley
4 chopped cloves of garlic
10 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1 lb thawed ground beef
Squish all this stuff together and form into balls. Heat about 3/4" on olive oil in a frying pan while you pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. I fry the meatballs on all sides for about 10-15 minutes so that they're brown on the outside. Then I stick them in a baking dish (with the hot oil) and bake for ten minutes. Turn 'em once, bake em for ten more minutes.
At this point I take them out and put them in homemade sauce, because homemade sauce is mmmmmmmmmmmm, drooooooooooooooool.....
I guess I'm so excited about these partly because they're wonderful, but also because ground beef generally makes me want to boat. There's just something about the texture and the idea and the fact that it's of largely unidentifiable origin. So any recipe that redeems ground beef is a thing of beauty. Oh Amy Sedaris, thank you.
mmmmmmmmmmmm, drooooooooooooooool.....
That sounds delicious! If I make the recipe as is, would it serve two for dinner? Also, about how big do you suggest making the meatballs? (I've never made any type of meatball before, so any tips would be great.) I'm not a big beef person either, but it's a hit with the manfolk, so I figure having a few clutch dishes is a good idea.
ReplyDeleteThis recipe yields enough for dinner and leftovers for two normal people and one Me. I make the meatballs so that one fits comfortably in my hand--so I suppose a little bigger than a raquet ball.
ReplyDeleteif you're curious about my sauce, I just use fresh basil, oregano, minced garlic, salt and pepper in a couple of cans of tomato sauce. If you don't have to feed a picky Tim you can put onions and green pappers in it too. I just let it all simmer on the lowest temperature until the meatballs are done.
And I didn't eat breakfast so now I'm hungry just thinking about it. :(
First of all you need to come home and get control of your cat.
ReplyDeleteI have had these and they really are Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, drooooooooooooooooooooooool.
okay, these sound wonderful and not too difficult...I'm going to try and do this at some point this week only with ground turkey substituting the beef because it is leaner and it makes me feel better when I eat them all myself....also I've read excerpts from 'Hospitality Under the Influence'....my favorite passage is when Sedaris suggest putting alot of marbles in your medicine cabinets because then when you have guests at a party and they are being nosy (like me) and going through your things all the marbles will fall out and make a loud noise....just thought I should share that part
ReplyDeleteI'm going to make them with turkey too. It's funny b/c the other day I was at the grocery store and I *almost* bought a bag of turkey meatballs b/c I was craving them, but they were, like, too expensive for meatballs on a budget. This will be much better - I'll let you know how they turn out. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWow this recipe is extremely close to mine except I don't use onions, put a ton more parmesan cheese, a bit of fennel and of course, tony chachere's (I can't help it).
ReplyDeleteChris has been reading that book and occasionally likes to read it to me over the phone. I like the part about if you have a dead animal in your fridge.
My favorite is the part where she talks about how she never throws a party unless her bunny will be okay with it. Because, obviously, one's bunny should be the centerpiece of every quality gathering.
ReplyDeleteOkay- first of all- you can't use turkey, they are supposed to be made out of meat.
ReplyDeleteSecond- if you eat them on the roof, don't set your plate down unless you want to watch them roll off the edge and fall to the ground.
Third- wow, I really love bunnies! Yes, they know when to party.