Italian Meatballs

RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Pounds hamburger (the best you can afford)

2 Pieces farmhouse white bread well toasted

1 Piece hearty wheat bread well toasted

2 Eggs

1/4 Cup minced sweet onion (yellow or white onion ok, too)

1/4 Cup minced sweet red pepper (bell pepper is ok, too)

1/4 Cup minced parsley

1 Tablespoon minced rosemary

1 Tablespoon minced oregano

(Substitute 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasonings if you can’t get fresh parsley, rosemary or oregano)

4 Crushed or minced garlic cloves

1 Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon black pepper

4-6 Tablespoons olive oil for browning the meatballs

Instructions:

Toast 2 slices white bread and 1 slice wheat bread. Allow to fully cool. Slice into tiny cubes. Put them in your food processor or blender. (If you don’t have these, use a hand grater to turn whole pieces of toast into bread crumbs and put in a bowl.) Run the food processor or blender to create bread crumbs. Stop after a minute or two and add minced parsley, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper. Process or blend until well mixed.

Place bread crumb mix in a bowl. Add minced red pepper, minced sweet onion, and crushed or minced garlic. Add 2 tablespoons of grated cheese and eggs. Stir until well mixed.

Add hamburger and mix with your hands or a spoon until the bread crumb mix is well mixed in.

Preheat skillet just under medium heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil. Make 2-inch diameter meatballs and put in pan, leaving enough room for the meatballs to be turned as they brown. Swirl the meatballs in the olive oil. Roll the meatballs in the pan until all sides are browned.

Tips: Turn temperature down if they oil begins to smoke. Use two pans to brown separate batches to cut the overall cooking time.

The browning process should take 7-10 minutes. When each batch is finished, place the meatballs on a paper towel lined plate to drain off the oil.

Congratulations! You just made Italian meatballs. Visit StepByStepChef.com for a recipe and video that will show you how to make a spaghetti sauce that tastes great with these meatballs. There, you’ll also find recipes and videos for dozens of other delicious dishes, along with a cookbook “Step By Step Chef: The First 51 Recipes” that will save you the time of printing the first set of recipes off the website.