Remember these? I made them back in November. We were talking about them for weeks. There is something ridiculously comforting [and food coma inducing] about a bunch of meatballs mixed in tomato sauce.

When I tackled them again, I made a few changes. The most notable was grinding everything up the food processor. It made a world of difference. I didn’t experience any meatballs falling apart this time. Having a cohesive ball was a welcome change. I also swapped out the bread soaked in milk for a cup of rolled oats and a tablespoon or two of milk. I’ll take the added nutritional benefit [and I never have bread on hand anymore]. This yielded 30 meatballs and a very crowded skillet. Putting them in the baguette with slices of smoked mozzarella was a treat.

Perfect.

Inspiration: Meatball Hero

Ingredients

1/2lb ground beef, 20% fat

1/2lb ground pork

1 cup rolled oats

1-2 tablespoons milk

1 onion, cut into 8 large chunks

1/2 cup parmesan, grated

1 egg

1/2 cup dry white wine

15oz can chopped tomatoes

4 sage leaves, chopped

flour to roll the meatballs in

olive oil for the pan and for brushing on the baguette

1 baguette

smoked mozzarella cheese for topping

Preparation

In the bowl of a food processor, mince the onion. Remove half of it and set aside. Add both meats, oats, egg, and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Pulse until combined. I had to scrape the sides a couple times. If it’s still a little dry, add a tablespoon or two of milk. It should have a smooth consistency where they come together easily. Pour flour on a large plate or pie pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using a tablespoon or a cookie scoop, scoop out the meat mixture and roll into balls. Dredge each ball in the flour and set side. Have fun cleaning up that mess. Spray a large pan with olive oil and bring to medium heat. Arrange all of the balls inside. Brown on each side before removing to another plate. In the same pan, add the remaining minced onion. Saute until translucent, about 4-6 minutes. Add the white wine, stirring to combine. Add in the meatballs and tomatoes. Bring it to a boil before reducing heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes before adding the sage leaves. Simmer for another 10 minutes to reduce the sauce. Cut the baguette into serving pieces; brush with olive oil Spoon the meat and sauce into each piece of baguette and top with cheese. Place under the broiler if you like melty, toasty sandwiches.