Pour into the sauce

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g minced meat, mixed
• 3 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 3 tbsp Grana Padano, grated
• 2 eggs
• 2 garlic cloves, squeezed
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• 1 onion(s)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 ½ liters tomatoes, pureed
• 2 tbsp sugar
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 55 minutes

Italian meatballs in tomato sauce – my Nonna’s traditional recipe

In a bowl, knead the ground beef with the Grana Padano, breadcrumbs, crushed garlic cloves, eggs, salt, and pepper until smooth. Form the meatballs into meatballs roughly the size of one hand. (You’ll make about 12 meatballs.) Fry the meatballs in plenty of oil until lightly browned, then set aside on a plate. Dice the onion (you can dice it more coarsely, as it will overcook) and slice the remaining two garlic cloves. Sauté both in a large pot with olive oil, then add the passata. Add a splash of water to each passata, shake, and add the tomato water to the pot. It’s important not to add more than 1 1/2 glasses of water to the tomato sauce, otherwise it will be too runny. Add salt, pepper, and two tablespoons of sugar and bring to a boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat to low so it’s just simmering. Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce and simmer with the lid on for at least 2 hours. Half an hour before the end of the cooking time, add another splash of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. This dish goes well with pasta, especially rigatoni or penne.