Mouthwatering oven-baked meatballs in a rich tomato sauce

May 24, 2024

Serve these “al forno” (oven-baked) meatballs with cheesy garlic bread.William Meppem

easyTime:1-2 hoursServes:4

When I think of this dish, my mouth literally starts to water. It’s so rich and comforting that, for me, this could be a death-row meal contender. Meatballs simply but lovingly made, browned and baked in a rich, meaty tomato sauce and served alongside my crusty, cheesy, garlic bread (the only accompaniment worth considering) might just become one of your family favourites, too. Double or triple this recipe and keep back-ups in the freezer for a rainy day.

Ingredients

FOR THE MEATBALLS

1 large brown onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ cup fine breadcrumbs
¼ cup milk
pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
1 tbsp dried oregano
125g ricotta
1 tsp fine sea salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ cup grated parmigiano reggiano, plus extra to serve
2 eggs
250g minced pork
250g minced beef or veal
1.2kg (3 tins) whole peeled tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), hand-crushed
625ml (1½ cups) chicken stock
1 bay leaf
cheesy garlic bread, to serve (optional)

Method

Step 1
Start with the meatball mix. In a large saute pan over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until soft and translucent but taking on no colour (about 8-10 minutes). Set aside to cool.
Step 2
In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, milk, chilli flakes (if using), oregano, ricotta, salt, pepper, ½ cup parmigiano and eggs. Mix well to combine.
Step 3
Add the cooled onion mix and the meats and use clean hands to incorporate quickly without over-mixing. Cover and refrigerate the mix for at least one hour or overnight. This will firm up the mix, allowing you to roll nice, round meatballs.
Step 4
Preheat your oven to 160C fan-forced (180C conventional).
Step 5
Once chilled, make 20-24 meatballs and set them on a tray. Heat a Dutch oven or another oven-safe pot over medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Brown the meatballs, working in batches if necessary, until they’re deeply golden-brown all over. Set them aside on a tray.
Step 6
To the same pan, add the crushed tomatoes, the chicken stock and bay leaf, a good pinch of salt and black pepper and bring the sauce to a simmer. Return the meatballs to the pan so they’re almost completely submerged in the tomato broth. Return to a simmer and place in the preheated oven. Cover with the lid ajar to allow the sauce to concentrate. Bake for 45 minutes and remove from the oven (roast the garlic alongside, if making the cheesy garlic bread).
Step 7
Serve the hot meatballs in the sauce with extra grated parmigiano reggiano, and my cheesy garlic bread (optional).