Description
Tuscan-inspired meatballs, medium-rare & juicy.
Served on rosemary sprigs with a sun-dried tomato ketchup.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/2 cups (118 ml) sun-dried tomato halves
- 1/2 cups (118 ml) boiling water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cups (59 ml) onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of chili flakes
- 2 lbs (907 g) meat
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Soak sundried tomatoes in boiling water for 30 minutes, until soft.
- Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, add onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until translucent.
- Add garlic and tomato paste, and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- In a blender or food processor, combine sundried tomatoes and their soaking liquid with the onion, garlic, tomato paste, and oil; purée 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.
For the Meat
- Chill the processor bowl, blade, and meat in the freezer for about 30 minutes before grinding.
- Once ground, roll the ground meat mixture into walnut-sized balls.
- Cook in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat (approximately 375°F/190°C), shaking the pan to keep the balls rolling and evenly brown on all sides.
- Cook for 7-9 minutes for a medium doneness, depending on the size of the balls.
- Skewer each ball on a sprig of fresh rosemary and serve with homemade sundried tomato ketchup.
Notes
- For richer flavor, marinate the meatballs in a mixture of olive oil, rosemary, and garlic for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- If you don’t have fresh rosemary, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary, but reduce the cooking time slightly to prevent burning.
- Store leftover meatballs and ketchup separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 29 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan-Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 150g
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 40
- Cholesterol: 100