Description
Inspired by the famous Tuscan butcher, Dario Cecchini, these meatballs are freshly ground and served medium-rare, skewered with rosemary.
Ingredients
Scale
Sun-dried tomato ketchup
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomato halves
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup onion (finely chopped)
- 1 garlic clove (finely minced)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of chili flakes
Meatballs
- I kilogram of meat (The ratios for these juicy, flavourful meatballs was 10% guanciale, 20% sirloin, 70% chuck. I cut the meat into cubes no bigger than an inch before grinding)
- 1 garlic clove (finely minced)
- 1 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Sun-dried tomato ketchup
- Soak sundried tomatoes in boiling water for 30 minutes, until soft. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, add onion and sauté 3-4 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and tomato paste, and cook for another minute or two. In a blender, or food processor combine sundried tomatoes and their soaking liquid with all of the other ingredients and purée the mixture until smooth.
- Transfer the purée to a small saucepan, and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a small jar, and let cool completely before refrigerating.
- Leftover ketchup will keep for up to a week in the fridge.
Meat
- See instruction link above recipe for grinding.
- The most important thing to remember when grinding your own meat is to have everything very cold. I chilled the processor bowl and blade as well the meat in the freezer for about 30 minutes before I started grinding.
- Once ground, roll the ground meat mixture into balls about the size of a walnut.
- Cook in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, shaking the pan to keep the balls rolling and evenly brown on all sides. It should take 7-9 minutes for about a medium depending on the size of your balls. Skewer each ball on a sprig of fresh rosemary and serve with homemade sundried tomato ketchup.
- Category: Main, Secondi, Side
- Cuisine: Italian