Meatballs in tomato sauce
Description
As vacation season approaches, I start dreaming of Italy. The sun, vibrant colors, cheerful Italians chattering away, the mind-blowing food... I get goosebumps just thinking about it, how I long to dive back into it all! But work—though not a wolf—won't run away from me. So I have to make do with what local supermarkets offer: Italian tomatoes in their own juice and a little pot of basil. No worries, there will be a celebration on our street too! Let's prepare Italian-style meatballs in tomato sauce and chill a bottle of fine Italian wine. So, for the meatballs, you'll need: 1 onion, 1 garlic clove, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, 1 egg, 500 grams of ground beef, 1–2 teaspoons of breadcrumbs, pepper, salt, and oregano (also known as marjoram). Peel the onion and garlic, finely chop them, then sauté in vegetable oil until soft. Set aside the sautéed onion and garlic to cool. In a large bowl, beat the egg, then add the ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, and spices. With wet hands, shape the mixture into 15–16 small balls, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce. You'll need: 1 medium onion, 1 garlic clove, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, two jars of tomatoes in their own juice, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and a few fresh basil leaves. Peel the onion and garlic, finely chop, and lightly sauté in vegetable oil. Add the tomatoes with their juice (canned diced tomatoes work fine). Then add the sugar, mix well, and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes. At the end, stir in the finely chopped basil. If the sauce is too thick, add a couple of tablespoons of boiled water. Remove the meatballs from the refrigerator and place them on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes, until they turn brown. Then take them out, transfer to a high-sided baking dish, pour the tomato sauce over them, and return to the oven. Bake for another 15–20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling nicely. Serve with pasta or mashed potatoes. Don't forget to garnish with fresh basil leaves and pour some wine into the glasses! Buon appetito!