February 22, 2010
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Meatballs in Tomato Sauce w/ Noodles
The other day I tried making meatballs for the first time. I am trying (albeit unsuccessfully) to cut back on my meat intake. But if I eat meat, I try to get it from the organic butcher store. There's one in my neighbourhood called The Healthy Butcher.
I added the usual salt, pepper, a bit of oregano, an egg and bread crumbs to the ground beef. The breadcrumbs were from a couple of dried up pieces of toast that I had left in the toaster oven from breakfast. I didn't have a clue how much bread to add so I just tossed both slices in. The meat seemed a bit dry so I added a splash of milk. I knew it did something to the texture of meat. As I closed the fridge door, I tried to remember if it was for meatballs. I doubt it - I think it was more suited for Spaghetti Bolognese (?)
I also wanted a bit more flavor so I decided to add some onions. Then I thought why not brown the onions first. I browned about 2 medium sized onions that had been finely diced. I added that to the meat and rolled everything up. I didn't make big meatballs which in hindsight I should have. These were just about an inch across. But I had a lot of onions which was a problem.
As I was browning the meatballs, the onions were falling out in the hot oil. I kept ladling them out.
It was kinda messy. The meatballs kept sticking to the bottom of the pan even after they had
browned. So a lot of them cracked open when I turned them. I still had some tomato sauce from last year's Farmer's Market and I gently simmered them in it. I didn't want to overcook the meat.
The end product - the taste was good, the texture was a bit too soft and I wished the meatballs were
bigger.
I'll have to try this again another day.
Comments (20)
Yum Yum! XD
Your meatballs looked so juicy and meaty! The egg and breadcrumbs plus onions did add extra flavours to the meatballs! Can you please send me a sample? I'd like to find an organic meat shop near my neighborhood too.
@yorutenshi - I think I can make them better next time.
@CurryPuffy - hahaha... thank you. I'm lucky my neighborhood has all sorts of interesting stores.
@ElusiveWords - Still yummy looking! And it's not like you can get any worse! XD
I think your first attempt was very good. If I was a meat eater, I'd have tucked in if you'd set it down in front of me.
Not bad for a non Italian!!
Sounds good to me. I feel experimenting is the best way to get the result you want. I love the onions!
Your post makes me want to go home and cook.
Perhaps tonight is the night.
Be well mate,
*~matthew~*
I think the milk is for a bolognaise- I usually use cream though. For lasagnas, I make a huge pot of bolognaise-type sauce, and cream gives the sauce an amazing richness.
This looks tasty. I'm a pasta fiend!
Maybe it's the organic meat's fault that's making it fall apart
That looks good.
looks good! i suggest baking the meatballs rather than frying them; then you don't have to worry about them falling apart when you try to turn them. then again, i've never made pasta with meatball (i usually use sliced italian sausage instead); i'm sure baking it would take a lot longer and could dry out the meatballs too much.
@Chatamanda - thank you, I just like to fool around in the kitchen.
@CareyGLY - I love pasta... somewhere in my family tree, I'm sure someone fooled around with an Italian.
@Fatcat723 - I'm like the mad scientist in the kitchen when I have time to fool around.
@bleuzeus - well, I hope you did make it home in time to cook.
@secade - mmm.... that sounds very good.
@TheCheshireGrins - I just love pasta, noodles... anything from flour gets an invite to my tummy.
@Wangium - hahahaha... I doubt it.
@yang1815 - thanks Andy.
@kunhuo42 - I sometimes will cut up some sausages for the sauce too. If I'm feeling a bit more adventurous, I take them out of the casing. I'll have to try the baking method sometime. It's probably healthier.
i could smell it from here. yum!!!!!!
@Renatojr3 - hahaha... I hope it is not as strong smelling as a durian. Thanks for the rec.
This looks great, Matt. As for the milk, what is usually done is that the bread/bread crumbs are soaked in the milk before being mixed into the larger meat and onion and egg mixture. This keeps the meatballs moist. Same process used for meatloaf, which I don't imagine you make all that often!
@ElusiveWords - I could post the recipe if you'd like.
@christao408 - You're right - I've never tried making meatloaf. I think I've only had it a couple of times as a child. My sister goes crazy for it though.
waaa...you're one of those Xangans who posts yummy food as well. dang!
Great other pictures too. I'm planning to take my camera out more often now so that I could share some with the rest of the community too. Not enough traffic in my site but who knows right... 
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