A great dish for your next potluck party: Beef Meatballs Agrodolce!
Course:
Main
Cuisine:
Italian
Prep Time:20minutes
Cook Time:25minutes
Total Time:45minutes
Servings:4
Author:Manuela Zangara
Ingredients
Meatballs
450gms– 1 lb. beef mince
50gms– 1.75 oz. Parmigiano Reggianofinely grated
100gms– 3.5 oz. breadcrumbs
1tbspparsleychopped
1pinchgrated nutmeg
1tspsalt
1pinchpepper
Agrodolce (Italian sweet and sour) sauce
1tbspparsleychopped
2tbspextra virgin olive oil
4anchovies
1onionfinely chopped
1stalk celerychopped
4tbsptomato puréepassata
2tbspraisins
2tbsppine nuts
1bay leaf
2sage leaves
1tspdry rosemary
30ml– 1 oz. white wine
30ml– 1 oz. water
25ml– 0.85 oz. red wine vinegar
1tbspsugar
Salt to taste
Instructions
Meatballs.
Put the mince, Parmigiano Reggiano, breadcrumbs, egg, nutmeg, 1 tbsp of chopped parsley, 1 tsp of salt and 1 pinch of pepper in a bowl. Mix all the ingredients very well using your hands. Make meatballs of the size of a big cherry and keep them aside.
In the meantime, chop the onion, celery and the remaining parsley and put them in a sauce pan together with the tomato purée (passata) and 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Add the rosemary, bay leaf, sage, raisins, pine nuts and anchovies and put the pan on a low fire. Stir regularly.
As soon as the anchovies melt, add the meatballs and brown them. Add the wine and as soon as the alcohol evaporates, add water and salt and cover. Let it cook on a slow fire for 20 minutes or until the onion has collapsed and the meatballs are cooked through, adding some water if required. Then dissolve the sugar in the vinegar and add it to the pan. Let it evaporate on a high flame for a couple of minutes and then put the fire off.
When ready, transfer them to an air tight container and keep in the fridge at least overnight before serving them at room temperature.