Pizzana Style Meatballs

Introduction

Name: Pizzana Style Italian Meatballs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 lb Ground Beef; 1 lb Ground Pork; 2 Eggs; ½ cup Milk; ⅓ cup Plain Bread Crumbs; 2 tbsp Olive Oil; 1 Onion, diced; 3 Garlic Cloves, crushed; 2 tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese; ½ cup Fresh Parsley, chopped; 2 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper; ½ tsp Dried Oregano; ½ tsp Dried Basil; ½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes

On one of my trips to Los Angelas I had the meatballs at Pizzana in Brentwood. They made me reevaluate my life choices and why I couldn't dine their more often. This is a take at replicating that recipe, although it does not do it justice. And I'm sure that the meatballs at Pizzana have veal included in the mixture. I have left that out but you can add it in and reduce the beef and pork so that you have three equal amounts. You can add these to your favorite red sauce and serve over pasta, or eat them on their own with crunchy bread as they are served at Pizzana. If you're in LA, go try the original!

Appetizer | Beef | Italian

Recipe

Yields8 ServingsDifficultyIntermediate

Prep Time20 minsCook Time35 minsTotal Time55 mins

Ingredients

1 lb Ground Beef

1 lb Ground Pork

2 Eggs

½ cup Milk

⅓ cup Plain Bread Crumbs

2 tbsp Olive Oil

1 Onion, diced

3 Garlic Cloves, crushed

2 tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese

½ cup Fresh Parsley, chopped

2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Ground Black Pepper

½ tsp Dried Oregano

½ tsp Dried Basil

½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes

Directions

Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Add onion and cook, stirring, until onion is soft and translucent. About 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and continue cooking onion until just browning. About 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the beef and pork. Add onions, bread crumbs, milk, eggs, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt, black pepper, red pepper, oregano, and basil.

With your hands or a spatula gently combine ingredients. Do not overwork as this will make your meatballs dense and tough.

Cover and refrigerate for about one hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Form mixture into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake until browned and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Top with marinara sauce and shaved Parmesan and place under a broiler until the top is just browned.

Finish with fresh basil leaves and serve with crusty bread.