Meat Balls in Tomato Sauce Neapolitan Style (Naples)

Meat

Ingredients

Soft Breadcrumbs - 4-5 cups

Milk - 2-3 tbsps

Ground lean beef - 1 1/2 pounds

Parsley, finely chopped - 2-3 sprigs

Eggs, lightly beaten - 2

Grated parmesan cheese - 1 2/3 cups

Salt and pepper

Garlic, very finely chopped - 1 clove

Lard - 4 tbsps

Seedless white raisins - 1/3 cup

Pine nuts - 1/3 cup

Flour

Oil for deep frying

Olive oil - 5 tbsps

Onion, sliced - 1 small

Tomatoes - 1 1/2 pounds

Tomato paste - 1 tsp

Moisten the breadcrumbs with the milk. Put the meat, breadcrumbs, parsley, eggs, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, garlic, lard, white raisins and pine nuts into a bowl and knead until thoroughly blended. Break off small pieces of the mixture and shape them into round balls. Roll them in flour. Deep fry the meat balls in hot oil, a few at a time, until golden brown. Take from the pan with a perforated spoon and drain on paper towels. Put the meat balls aside but keep warm.

In another pan, heat the fresh olive oil and saute the onion until it changes color. Peel and chop the tomatoes, discarding seeds. Stir the tomatoes into the onion and cook over a brisk heat for 5 minutes. Dilute the tomato paste with a little hot water, adding a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir this into the tomatoes, cover the pan tightly and simmer for 40 minutes.

Drop the meat balls into the tomato sauce and cook them gently for 10 minutes to let them absorb the flavor of the sauce.

Serves 6