Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

  • SAUCE
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup sliced carrots
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 10 oregano sprigs
  • 10 thyme sprigs
  • Two 28 oz. cans tomatoes in their juice
  • Salt and pepper
  • MEATBALLS
  • ¾ lb. ground veal
  • ¾ lb. ground pork
  • ¾ lb. ground chuck
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp. grated pecorino cheese
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup minced onion
  • ½ cup finely chopped parsley
  • ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper

Instructions

  1. sauce: Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and garlic and cook, stirring, about 8 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until lightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low heat about 15 minutes. Sauce should slightly thicken.
  2. Meatballs: Preheat oven to 400F. Combine all ingredients and mix well by hand. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop meatballs onto an oven-proof dish. Pour sauce over and braise in oven until firm and cooked through, 40 minutes.