Jump to Recipe
But seriously, though, this is the best recipe ever for meatballs. Several weeks ago, I was invited to a dinner at the home of Anna Gass. The Feed Feed put on the dinner, and I was thrilled to have been invited. It was a lovely evening out on Anna’s back patio, and as you can imagine, the food was delicious!
Anna Francese Gass, author of the Heirloom Kitchen Cookbook
Anna Is the author of the Heirloom Kitchen cookbook, and she made her mom’s meatballs as one of the dishes. I haven’t stopped thinking about them since that night in June. I’ve made meatballs before, but there’s something about this recipe that makes them “melt in your mouth.”
The Ingredients for Anna’s recipe
- pork, beef, and veal
- homemade bread crumbs
- eggs
- parsley
- salt and pepper
- whole milk
- pecorino cheese
- Brodo di Mama Sauce
We just received our new cookware from Le Creuset, and we couldn’t think of a better recipe to make using our new Dutch ovens.
Mama Gina’s Meatballs
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star
5 from 3 reviews
- Author: Anna Gass
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 31 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Italian
½ lb ground pork
½ lb ground veal
½ lb ground beef 85/15 blend
One tablespoon of chopped parsley
One tablespoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Two eggs, beaten
1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 cup bread crumbs, preferably Italian seasoned
½ cup milk
½ cupbrodo di mamma cooled
Instructions
- In a large bowl, hand mix all the ingredients.
- Once all the ingredients are just combined, wet your hands and pinch ¼ cup of the mixture, and roll into balls. Place on baking sheets.
- Carefully drop the meatballs into the sauce. If the pot seems full, shimmy the pot back and forth to make more room. If you stick a spoon in the pot, you will break the meatballs apart. Just shimmy!
- Allow to simmer in the sauce for 45 minutes or up to 2 hours.
Notes
Anna says that when mixing the ingredients, it may seem like you need to add more bread crumbs. But she says to resist the temptation. Adding more will make a more dense meatball, and these are melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
2. Le Creuset Dutch Ovens
Le Creuset Dutch ovens are an investment, but when cared for properly will last for years. The company recommends reading their leaflet before using it. There are not a lot of rules, but a few things to note to make sure your cookware looks gorgeous! The light-colored inside enamel is better suited for slow cooking on low heat or at a medium oven temperature.
A few other things to note about caring for your Le Creuset
Avoid using an immersion blender and other metal tools. It’s best to use wooden spoons or heat-resistant plastic tools. Le Creuset suggests using their tools.
We have a 9 1/2 quart oval and a smaller round 3 1/2 quart Dutch oven. The larger is for 9-10 servings, perfect for making our meatballs! The smaller is 3-4 servings.
What I love about Le Creuset
They can be used on any heat source. It can retain heat, allowing lower settings to be used when cooking stovetop.
Since they retain their heat, you can remove them from the heat, and your food will stay warm for quite a while. We sometimes take a pot of soup to the beach. We saved the original box and removed the top to transport it down to the beach without spilling. In the summer, it’s something like Ina Garten’s Corn Chowder, and in the fall, pumpkin soup. It’s easy, and the Le Creuset looks gorgeous on the table! I’m already dreaming up a fall dinner using this tablecloth that will look perfect with my Le Creuset in the color meringue.
Cast iron can also keep food cold. It’s the perfect cold food server on a hot day. You could freeze your Le Creuset and then transport your dish to your outdoor gathering, which will be kept cold for hours.
They are dishwasher safe! They recommend using their cleaner. They also sell it as a set with a nylon brush that is safe to use on the enamel. It may seem a little expensive, but I think it’s worth it since the ovens are an investment.
3. Inflatable SUP Paddle Board
We love these boards because they are so easy to use, from set-up to take down to the water. They are lightweight, and you can easily carry them. It took about 10 minutes to inflate it, and everything you need is included, even the pump. It also comes with a backpack if you want to take it on the road. We live on The Long Island Sound, and it’s so easy to grab one and head to the water. They are lightweight for how big they are! It’s sturdy and easy to turn.
4. New in the Shop: Berry Bowls
One of the best things about opening my shop is the opportunity to work with makers. Of course, I start with friends that I have known for years. Like Christine, who makes our lavender sachets, and Karen, who makes the woven potholders. This week we added beautiful berry bowls made by my friend Peg Twist. I have known Peg for over 30 years, and only recently have we been able to connect on this level.
I love Peg’s work. She has an Etsy shop, so when I asked her if she would like to collaborate on a piece for my shop, I was thrilled when she said yes! I gave her very little direction because Peg is the artist, and I respect that. I did say that I had a white glaze in mind. I could not be more thrilled with what she designed. The bowls are handmade, so they are slightly different, but that is my favorite part! Each one is an original.
