I am in search of the perfect meatball and I think I may have discovered it. Angel’s meatballs. You may have tried my recipe for my mom’s meatballs which I place at the top of the chart when it comes to a tender, juicy, bursting with flavor meatball. However, Angel’s meatballs will transport you to meatball heaven.
According to the Escoffier, School of Culinary Arts, “meatballs can be found in, but are not exclusive to, Italian cuisine. A lot of countries and cultures have their own version of meatballs. For example, Sweden has köttbullar, China has lion’s head, and Greece has keftedes.” I love this Vietnamese meatball soup too!
Many sources say the first meatballs may have been created in Persia. These meatballs called kofte, and here is my version, caught on and inspired new recipes as the Persians traded with neighboring countries. Meatballs were probably introduced to regions throughout the Middle East before making their way to Italy centuries ago.
Traditional Italian meatballs typically contain equal portions of meat and soaked bread, and other additions such as egg and vegetables. They may be made with beef, lamb, turkey, veal, or even fish, depending on what meat is available.
My friend Scott recently shared this recipe for Angel’s meatballs with me. I was waiting for cooler weather to arrive before delving into these rich, meaty, tomato sauced delights. Angel uses beef, pork, and veal to create her version of the perfect meatball. I had difficulty finding ground veal, so I substituted ground turkey which worked well.
After the meatballs are mixed with seasonings and shaped into 1 1/2-2″ balls, there is much debate about either pan-frying or baking the balls in the oven to sear them, before immersing them into the tomato-based sauce to simmer.
Some recipes call for the balls to be tossed straight into the tomato sauce after being molded. You can decide for yourself how you wish to prepare the meatballs for their final simmering in marinara sauce. Angel recommends frying them in olive oil, so for this recipe, we are going with the pro!
You know what to do from here. Boil some pasta, heap it into a bowl, and top with your favorite marinara sauce and the meatballs. We served Angel’s meatballs on angel hair pasta which seemed appropriate. A side of baked garlic bread is a necessity so as not to waste a drop of sauce or a morsel of meatball. Thank you Angel and thank you Scott.
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