45 minutes
Tender meatballs simmered in a rich and aromatic tomato sauce, perfect for a hearty meal.
1. Cook Onion
Start by heating 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook it until it turns soft and translucent.
2. Add Tomatoes and Season
Once the onion is ready, add the peeled and chopped tomatoes to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir everything together and let the mixture cook for a few minutes, allowing the flavors to start blending.
3. Add Bay Leaf and Sugar
Next, add the bay leaf and sugar to the tomato mixture. Let it cook for about 5 minutes, giving the tomatoes time to break down and the bay leaf to infuse its aromatic qualities.
4. Add Meatballs and Simmer
Now, gently place the browned meatballs into the skillet with the tomato sauce. Make sure they are nestled well into the sauce. Cover the skillet and let everything cook together for 20 minutes.
5. Finish and Serve
After 20 minutes, check to ensure the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has reached a nice, thick consistency. Serve hot with crusty bread or over a bed of rice.
Always start with the best quality ingredients you can find. Fresh, ripe tomatoes, high-quality ground meat (a mix of pork and beef ideally), and fresh herbs will make a significant difference in the complexity of flavors.
Sear the meatballs in a hot pan with olive oil to develop a nice crust. This Maillard reaction adds depth of flavor to both the meatballs and the sauce as the fond (browned bits) left in the pan will be deglazed later.
Build layers of flavor by sautéing onions and garlic until they're golden and fragrant before adding tomatoes. Use a splash of a good-quality red wine to deglaze the pan after cooking the meatballs, which adds complexity to the sauce.
Be generous with seasoning. Properly salt your meat mixture and taste it by cooking off a small piece before forming the meatballs. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Simmer the meatballs in the sauce gently. This not only infuses the meatballs with the sauce's flavor but also ensures they cook through without becoming tough.
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