Ingredients:
- 4 slices white bread, crusts removed, finely chopped into small bread crumb pieces (or pulse into a food processor)
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
- 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
- Two 28-ounces cans of crushed tomatoes
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
- Place bread and milk in a bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl add beef, eggs, ricotta cheese, garlic, oregano, parsley, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Gently squeeze excess milk from bread and place bread into meat mixture. Discard remaining milk.
- Using a spatula (or your hands), gently fold and mix ingredients until well combined, but not over-mixed.
- Form into 16 equal size meatballs.
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a medium-size roasting pan with the vegetable oil. Place meatballs in pan and roast for 30 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from oven and add crushed tomatoes. Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees and roast for an additional 90 minutes to 2 hours, until meatballs are tender and tomatoes have cooked down into a thick sauce.
- Remove from oven, taste and adjust seasoning by adding salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar as needed.
- Serve meatballs over pasta, on bread or by themselves with the tomato sauce and garnished with Parmesan cheese.