Simone’s Famous Italian Meatballs

Directions

1 Remove eggs & beef from frig about 1 hour before making meatballs. This removes the chill for easier handling.

2 Pour oil into a 5.5 quart Dutch oven or pot & set aside.

3 Whisk the eggs in a 4 quart glass bowl.

4 Add beef, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic & black pepper to the bowl of eggs.

5 Firmly squish knead the mixture with your hands for a few minutes & keep turning over till everything is extremely well combined.

6 Break off pieces & use a meatball tool to get even amounts of mixture (see Tip#1). Firmly squish meatball amount in your hands & then roll around in cupped hands till you form a round dense ball about 1 1/2". Place on a large platter.

7 Continue the process till all the mixture is used up. This is a good time to thoroughly wash your hands.

8 Heat oil on med-high till very hot, about 7 minutes. While waiting; line a large platter or baking sheet with 6 layers of paper towels & set aside.

9 Place 9 meatballs into hot oil, one at a time, not touching & be careful not to burn your fingers. Oil should bubble as soon as you put the meat in. Reduce heat to medium. Cook 4 minutes till browning, DO NOT move meatballs around during this time.

10 Using a slotted spoon; carefully scrape under each meatball to release & turn over. Cook another 3 minutes. Stir the meatballs around for a minute till they're completely browned & crusty all around & then remove them to the papered platter.

11 Repeat steps 9 & 10 till all the meatballs are cooked (see Tip# 2). As you cook more batches, they'll take a little less time to cook on each side. Raise & lower heat during cooking, if necessary.

12 Allow to cool to room temperature, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. If you want to eat some now, move onto step# 14.

13 Once cooled place 1/3 of the meatballs, in a single layer, in each plastic bag. Be sure to remove as much air as possible, then freeze.

14 To serve; place 1 cup (per person) of your favorite pasta sauce in an appropriately sized saucepan. Add frozen meatballs (generally 1 to 2 per person). Heat, partially covered, on low/warm heat for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, till meatballs are fully defrosted & heated all the way through. It's important to cook for a good length of time to allow the sauce to cook into the meatballs & mellow the flavor.

15 Serve over your favorite pasta or Zoodles & sprinkle with grated or shredded Parmesan cheese.

Tips & Suggestions

1 Using a a meatball tool will give you evenly sized meatballs & best cooking results. If you can't find one locally you can order a Norpro Stainless Steel Meat Baller online from Amazon.com.

2 As you cook batches a froth will form & oil will get very bubbly. Using a serving spoon; skim off froth, as you go along & put in a heat resistant cup.