These glo­ri­ous meat­balls are one of the most suc­cess­ful dish­es you can make when you have to cook for many and you would like to have some­thing that you can pre­pare in advance and just wam up before serv­ing. I like using them as a “cic­chet­to” as well, just a cou­ple on a small plate to accom­pa­ny an aper­i­ti­vo. Make sure you ahve a good toma­to sauce, and of course qual­i­ty meat, and nice fresh herbs.

Time: 40 min­utes

Ingre­di­ents (makes about 20 small meat­balls)

500 g minced meat (hald pork, half beef)
1 small loaf of bread soaked in milk
1 egg
4 tbsp grat­ed parme­san
sicil­ian oregano, some fresh thyme and basil
1 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp pine nuts
one medi­um onion
ca. 200 ml best toma­to sauce
salt and pep­per
extra vir­gin olive oil

  1. Chop the onion fine­ly, warm up some olive oil in a heavy casse­role and let it cook slow­ly, then add the toma­to sauce, cov­er and leave it five min­utes over a gen­tele heat. Add some oregano and fresh basil, salt and pep­per.
  2. Drain the bread then in a bowl mix it to meat, beat­en egg, cheese, raisins, pine nuts, oregano and fresh thyme, salt and pep­per. Mix well with your hands until it’s com­pact.
  3. Wash your hands and, leav­ing them a bit wet, form small meat­balls (about 2,5 — 3 cm). Lay them on a clean plate and when you’re done add them to the toma­to sauce. With the lid and on a gen­tle heat let them cook for about 15 min­utes.