The Ultimate Meatballs al Forno with Creamy Polenta

Name: The Ultimate Meatballs al Forno with Creamy Polenta
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 1 baguette, crust removed; 1 bunches basil; 237 milliliters dried bread crumbs; 3 Tbsps whole butter; 227 grams chanterelle mushrooms; 946 milliliters chicken stock; 4 eggs; 1 medium ball fresh mozzarella; 1 bunches fresh parsley; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 680 grams ground beef sirloin; 355 milliliters finely ground cornmeal; 680 grams ground pork; 59 milliliters heavy cream; 296 milliliters milk; 118 milliliters extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling; 59 milliliters freshly grated Parmesan; 118 milliliters freshly grated Parmesan; 79 milliliters ground pinenuts; 1 pinch Pinch sea salt; 6 servings Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 pints vine-ripened small tomatoes

You can never have too many main course recipes, so give The Ultimate Meatballs al Forno with Creamy Polentan From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes. If you have vine-ripened tomatoes, basil, sea salt and pepper, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it. To use up the eggs you could follow this main course with the Rose Levy Beranbaum's Chocolate Tomato Cake with Mystery Ganache as a dessert.

Instructions

Watch how to make this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Break the baguette in pieces and soak in a bowl with milk for 10 minutes until the bread is soft. In a second bowl mix the beef and pork together. Twist up half the parsley and the basil into a little pile, roughly chop it and add to the meat.

Ingredients you will need

Baguette

Parsley

Basil

Bread

Beef

Meat

Milk

Pork

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Add garlic and mix thoroughly with your hands. Squeeze the milk out of the bread and add it in small pieces.

Ingredients you will need

Garlic

Bread

Milk

Add eggs, Parmesan, ground pinenuts, salt, and pepper and mix everything together thoroughly. Shape the meatballs into large patties then roll them in the bread crumbs.

Ingredients you will need

Breadcrumbs

Meatballs

Parmesan

Pine Nuts

Pepper

Egg

Roll

Salt

In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium high heat until it begins to smoke slightly. Fry the meatballs to seal the crust, flip them over so both sides are done.

Ingredients you will need

Meatballs

Olive Oil

Crust

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Transfer to a large baking dish.

Equipment you will use

Baking Pan

Add a splash of oil to pan and fry the mushrooms on a low heat until they start to caramelize.

Ingredients you will need

Mushrooms

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Cut the tomatoes in 1/2 and hand-crush them into a separate bowl.

Ingredients you will need

Tomato

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Drizzle with olive oil.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Add salt and a few cranks of fresh cracked pepper and mix.

Ingredients you will need

Cracked Pepper

Salt

Add to the mushrooms.

Ingredients you will need

Mushrooms

Let everything simmer together and reduce slightly for about 10 minutes.

Pour the tomatoes and mushrooms over the meatballs. Shred the remaining basil and parsley and the mozzarella over it.

Ingredients you will need

Mozzarella

Meatballs

Mushrooms

Tomato

Parsley

Basil

Drizzle with olive oil and add a few cranks of pepper.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Pepper

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Serve with Creamy Polenta.

Ingredients you will need

Polenta

In a large saucepan bring the chicken stock to a slow simmer. Quickly whisk the cornmeal into the stock and lower the temperature to keep it from splattering. Stir in the cream, Parmesan, butter, and salt. Turn off the heat and keep in a warm place until the meatballs are ready.

Ingredients you will need

Stock