Get ready for a culinary masterpiece with our Polpette Italiane al Vino Rosso – Italian Meatballs with Red Wine Tomato Sauce. These meatballs are like a serenade to your taste buds, a taste of Italy that will make them sing with joy. Slow-baked in a luscious red wine tomato sauce, they’re a gastronomic journey to the heart of Italian cuisine.
Polpette Italiane al Vino Rosso: A Flavourful Italian Meatball Symphony
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 500 grams beef mince with a perfect 20% fat ratio
- 1/2 onion diced
- 100 grams bread crumbs
- a handful of diced parsley
- a handful of diced celery leaves secret ingredient
- 3 cloves garlic finely diced
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Sauce:
- 100 mls red wine
- 1 jar passata
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef mince, bread crumbs, diced onion, a generous handful of diced parsley, a handful of diced celery leaves, and finely diced garlic cloves. Season it all with a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper. Mix everything together until it becomes a harmonious symphony of flavours.
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Take portions of the meat mixture and shape them into meatballs.
- In a pan, heat a bit of olive oil and brown them on all sides, taking about 3-4 minutes. They’re not fully cooked yet; they’re just getting their beautiful sear. Set them aside.
- Now, in the same pan, pour in the red wine. It’s time for a little Italian drama! Let it simmer for a few minutes, letting the wine tell its story and release all those aromatic notes. Scrape up any delicious bits from the pan; they’re the chorus to this culinary opera.
- Stir in the jar of passata, and toss in the bay leaves, the unsung heroes that add depth to the tale. Season the sauce with a pinch of salt and a sprinkle of pepper to taste.
- Place your meatballs into an oven-safe dish. Pour the red wine tomato sauce over them, making sure every meatball gets coated.
- Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for about 1 hour. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your meatballs. During this time, baste them with the sauce every 15-20 minutes. Add some water or stock if required.
- Remove them from the oven, and just for good measure, let them rest a moment. Discard the bay leaves and serve your Italian meatballs with a side of pasta, crusty bread, or mashed potato. Garnish with basil if you want to add a little extra flourish.