The combination of a slightly crisp exterior and tender interior of the perfect meatballs served over creamy polenta is a match made in red-sauce heaven.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 20 min |
| Active: | 50 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 slices white bread, torn into little pieces
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano
- 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 1 pound ground chuck
- 8 ounces ground pork
- 8 ounces ground veal (if you don’t like veal, just use more beef)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
- 4 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
- 2 teaspoons dry Italian seasoning
- 1/3 cup dry red wine, such as Chianti or Merlot
- Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup MEDIUM-GRIND cornmeal, stone-ground
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped basil, for serving
Instructions
- For the meatballs with gravy: In a large mixing bowl, mix together the milk, bread, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to make a panade. Whisk in the Pecorino, parsley and eggs until uniform. Add in the chuck, pork and veal and, using your hands, mix together until combined. Do not overwork! Roll the mixture into 18 meatballs.
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Working in batches, add the meatballs and sear on all sides until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden around edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits.
- Add the tomatoes and increase the heat until simmering. Once simmering, add the meatballs and bring the heat down to about medium-low until the sauce is barely simmering. Cook with the lid on until the meatballs are no longer pink in the middle and are about 165 degrees F, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, start the creamy polenta: Bring the water and cream to a rolling boil in a heavy-bottomed 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting, add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pour the cornmeal into the water in a very slow stream from a measuring cup, all the while whisking in a circular motion to prevent lumps.
- Cover and cook, vigorously stirring the polenta with a wooden spoon for about 10 seconds once every 5 minutes and making sure to scrape the bottom and corners of the pot, until the polenta has lost its raw cornmeal taste and becomes soft and smooth, about 30 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan, butter and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the basil to the meatballs and gravy before serving on top of the creamy polenta.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 749 |
| Total Fat | 38 g |
| Saturated Fat | 17 g |
| Carbohydrates | 53 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 8 g |
| Sugar | 15 g |
| Protein | 50 g |
| Cholesterol | 206 mg |
| Sodium | 1728 mg |