Ultimate Meatballs

Tyler Florence

(beef, pork)

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

½ baguette, crust removed
1¼ C milk
1 lb ground beef sirloin
1 lb ground pork
½ bunch fresh parsley
½ bunch basil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/3 C ground pinenuts
Sea salt and black pepper
3 eggs
½ C grated or shaved Parmesan
1 small pkg. fresh mozzarella balls
½ C EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 C dried bread crumbs
½ lb chanterelle muchrooms or 1 (6 oz) jar mushrooms
1 (2¼ oz) can sliced black olives
1 (15½ oz) can diced tomatoes
1 recipe Creamy Polenta



Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Break baguette into pieces and soak in a bowl with milk for 10 min until bread is soft.
3. In second bowl,mix the beef and pork. Twist half the parsley & basil into pile, roughly chop & add to meat.
4. Squeeze milk out of bread and add it in small pieces. Add eggs, Parmesan, pinenuts, salt & pepper and mix thoroughly.
5. Shape 6 meatballs. Poke hole in center and insert mozzarella ball and close. Roll in bread crumbs. Heat EVOO in large skillet. Fry meatballs to seal crust. Transfer to large oiled baking dish.
6. Add a splash of oil to pan and fry the mushrooms at low heat until they start to caramelize, add tomatoes and olives. Simmer and reduce slightly, about 5 min.
7. Pour mixture over meatballs. Drizzle with olive oil. Add salt and a few cranks of fresh cracked pepper and mix.
8. Shred the remaining basil and parsley and the mozzarella over it. Drizzle with olive oil and add a few cranks of pepper.
9. Bake for 45 minutes.
10. Serve with Creamy Polenta.