Making Italian food at home is truly fascinating. It’s not just about following simple steps; it connects you to some ancient tradition deep within yourself. For those with Italian heritage, recreating family flavors is a beautiful thing. Even if you don’t do it often, it brings joy. It’s like playing a role, infusing history into every dish.
This passion is the real secret. It makes your dishes taste better, even better than restaurant food. Think about how people react to supermarket pizza. Just like Eva Santaguida did on YouTube. She saw a pizza from Pizza Hut. She exclaimed, “This isn’t pizza.” Her statement highlights the huge difference between traditional cuisine and mass-produced products. She knows what real pizza tastes like.
Real pizza uses fresh dough, topped with sauce and quality cheese, and garnished with fresh basil leaves. Her husband tasted the pizza she made herself and praised it as an amazing pizza.
Details can make a simple pasta dish more delicious, just like this recipe for a homemade meatball sauce. Start with the ingredients. You’ll need nearly two pounds of ground meat for the meatballs. A combination of beef and pork also works well, as well as soft white bread soaked in milk. Once you’ve got the ingredients, now is the time to season the mixture. You’ll use two or three garlic cloves, plus one chopped shallot. It adds a sweet, complex flavor. Now add fresh herbs, like chopped parsley stems, and ten large sliced basil leaves. These fresh herbs will brighten up the dry pasta.
Then mix everything together with three eggs. For a salty, Italian flavor, add cheese. You’ll want about half or three-quarters of a block. Then add salt and pepper to taste, making sure everything is well mixed. But don’t overmix these doughs, just enough to make sure they’re evenly mixed.
Then quickly sauté in some olive oil. It’s best to taste and add some pepper. This is a really tricky step, so don’t follow the recipe exactly. It’s best to adjust the ingredients to your own taste.
Now shape them into golf ball size and heat enough olive oil in a large pot, just enough to coat the bottom of the meatballs. It is important to fry the meatballs. Don’t fry every inch of them until they are golden brown. Just fry two sides so they retain their shape. Once they are done, place them on a plate to rest for a while and now turn your attention to the sauce. Use the same pan as before. Add more oil if needed. Get the pan hot so the flavor of the meatballs can fully infuse the sauce.
Spices Start with a large onion. Chop it into small pieces. Add the onion to the pan and stir for a minute. Let it soften slightly. Then season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, dried oregano and thyme. Stir the spice mixture through the oil so the herbs are fully fragrant. Next add six diced garlic cloves and also add fresh bay leaves, use three to four. Fresh bay leaves are important. Now stir fry for a minute, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Now add half a tube of tomato paste to thicken. Then stir in the onions and garlic and sauté for a minute or two. This will caramelize the sauce and make it more flavorful.
Now add the liquid to deglaze the pan. You can add two or three drops of wine, either dry white or red. Italian wine is probably ideal. Now just simmer and reduce a little. This will help to concentrate the flavors.
But don’t let the liquid evaporate completely. Just stir and simmer for a minute. The main ingredients are tomatoes and three cans of Bianco DiNapoli white wine. You need to break up the tomatoes before adding them so that they have a more even texture.
Simmer for a total of fifteen minutes. This will help the flavors blend better. At this point, gently add the fried meatballs. They cook in the sauce. They absorb the flavors and become tender.
The sauce needs to cook for another fifteen minutes, making sure the meatballs thicken slightly. At this time, you can boil water in another pot and add salt. Then add the pasta in the shape you like. Cook according to the time indicated on the package. Drain the water and use a spoon to scoop out the sauce and gently mix the pasta and sauce.
The last step is to add grated Pecorino cheese, which is very important in our lives. Now sprinkle with fresh basil again and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. The combination of various elements always makes a delicious dish.
This attention to ingredients and techniques is the real secret. The “Cucina della nonna” (Grandma’s kitchen) spirit drives this dish. Just like Jimmy Kimmel’s pasta recipe. He will sneak some white beans in it, just to add protein to the children’s meal.
You can find this spirit outside of your mom’s kitchen, too, cooking for others for the sheer joy of it. If you like food inspired by history, many restaurants here retain the authentic Italian soul. Some restaurants are also a great alternative for those who love to cook with heart.
Super Simple Friday Night Meatballs Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot or Dutch Oven For simmering the sauce
- 1 Large Skillet For browning the meatballs
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl For meatball mixture
- 1 Measuring Spoons and Cups
- 1 Knife and Cutting Board For mincing garlic and parsley
Ingredients
Main
- For the Sauce:
- 2 28 ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 to 8 cloves minced garlic about 2 tablespoons
- 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the Meatballs:
- 4 slices bread crusts removed
- 2 eggs
- 2 pounds 80/20 ground beef
- 1 1/2 tablespoons adobo seasoning such as Goya, see note above
- 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil for frying
- Pasta and grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- For the sauce, crush whole peeled tomatoes by hand or pulse briefly in a food processor.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- For the meatballs, soak the bread slices in water or milk, then squeeze out excess liquid.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, squeezed bread, eggs, adobo seasoning, minced parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined.
- Form the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides until deeply colored.
- Carefully transfer the browned meatballs to the simmering tomato sauce.
- Cover and continue to simmer the meatballs in the sauce for at least 30 minutes, or until cooked through.
Notes
These special restaurants are all rooted in their traditions. They respect their roots while also being innovative. Fiorentini in Rutherford embodies this delicate balance. They introduce a new menu every season to make the dining experience even more special. The menu includes sharing platters, pasta, fish, or the premium meats you see. They also offer a chef’s table experience, and tasting their homemade gelato or sorbet is a must.
Nearby, Luigi’s also offers a unique take on authentic Italian cuisine. It’s the Italian owner, Luigi Viola, who based his cuisine on traditional specialties. His philosophy is simple, never modernize anything. He believes that some things are perfect as they are and don’t need any improvement. This dedication to pure tradition is reflected in many of the dishes you order.
Family heritage also shines at Rosie’s Trattoria in Randolph Square. As you can see, their chef, Giuseppe, and Rosie were both born in Italy. Part of the menu is inspired by Rosie’s childhood in Naples. They use Rosie’s family recipes to bring the traditions of their kitchen into your home.
Heading south, Italy is still impressive. Restaurants there stay true to tradition while pushing boundaries. One such restaurant is Graziano’s Ristoranti in Chesilhurst. Pasta Flight’s specialties showcase creative homemade pastas. They’re open to experimenting, like adding hidden beans.
Penns Grove also has DiPaolo’s. They stick to the four-generation family recipes you’ve heard about. Their authentic Italian food is considered the best. And at a very reasonable price, you can really taste the heritage when you come here.
This Italian cuisine appeal is not limited to New Jersey or the United States. The same passion is also spread all over the world. Take, for example, Tutto Bene restaurant in Fuengirola, Spain. It is run by the Ramazzoto family, now in their fourth and fifth generations. They always strictly guard the recipes handed down from their grandmother. Specialties such as the unique pinsa pasta and homemade pasta reflect this. They are well known for insisting that their guests do not eat their pasta with a spoon.
