May 17th, 2024
Polpette Al Sugo
This Calabrian recipe uses a simple mix for the meatballs, and they are cooked in the sauce gently and slowly. Portions are flexible. Use your judgement on how much to fold in for the polpette—meatballs. We made this on Tuesday and served it Wednesday night after placing it in the refrigerator. We bought the ingredients in the town of Rocella, but great products are available here in Hampton Roads.
Ingredients for the Polpette:
- 1/2 to 1 pound ground beef 80/20 for flavor
- 1/2 cup more or less grated Parmesan cheese only good cheese grated fresh
- 1/2 cup more or less of good breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup more or less of milk
- 3/4 cup or to taste of fresh chopped parsley
- Sea salt to taste about two tablespoons
Ingredients for the sauce:
- 1 28 oz. can of San Marzano tomatoes
- One jar of Passata
- One half large onion or whole small onion chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic or to taste chopped or sliced thin
- 4 or 5 large bay leaves
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/4 pound pancetta chopped
- 1/4 cup or more of olive oil to sauté the sauce base ingredients
- Cup or so of good red wine that you would drink
Preparation:
- In a saucepan large enough for the sauce and meatballs (I use a now twenty-year-old Le Crueset pot), pour in the olive oil and pancetta, as well as the onions and sauce, until the onions are soft and the pancetta is rendered and browned lightly.
- Add the garlic and continue the sauce—I use the famed wooden spoon for all of this
- Add the Passata and the canned tomatoes but crush the canned tomatoes by hand in a bowl first
- Add the bay leaves butter and the hit of red wine
- Salt to taste
- Start the slow simmer
- While the sauce starts to simmer combine the meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix by hand.
- Use your judgement so as to keep balance on the amounts.
- When the ingredients are mixed through fashion golf ball sized meatballs and then drip gently into the sauce. This will add flavor while they are slowly cooking.
- Stir gently and let all cook for about 45 minutes to an hour on the slow simmer
- Boil the water for the pasta. We used fresh Tagliatelle we bought locally, but penne works well, and so will the traditional spaghetti. I prefer the large pasta with this
You can serve all on a large platter or plate separately. This is the perfect Sunday dish. Buon appetito!
