Grandma Maroni's Meatballs

My husband has a minor addiction to meatballs.  It's one of the foods that he'll never turn down.  In my recent cookbook search, I found this recipe, and knew he'd love it.  It's an old Italian style meatball that I'm so glad I tried.  

This is a pretty garlic-y meatball, so maybe cut back a little if you're not a big garlic fan.  The texture was right on.  Tender, flavorful, and the perfect size for your spaghetti dinner.  Honestly, I felt like I was sitting in an old Italian restaurant when I ate these.  I was just waiting for some little old Italian woman to start yelling at me.  My husband told me that his Italian relatives made meatballs like this when he was little.  So for him, this was a really down-home meal.  

There is a sauce recipe that accompanies this meatball recipe in the book, but since I didn't use it I didn't post it.  Maybe next time. :)

Definitely a keeper, I'd make this for his Italian family and feel pretty comfortable about it.
Grandma Maroni's Meatballs

Recipe from "Bobby Flay's Throwdown!" cookbook

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef chuck
• 1 1/2 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 1/4 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leave parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 small Spanish onion, grated
• 3 Tbsp minced garlic
• pinch of Kosher salt, to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Oil a 9x13 inch dish or a rimmed baking sheet, set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350º
3. Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl, making sure to combine well. 
4. Form the meat mixture into a loose ball the size of a golf ball and place on the prepared dish. 
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until cooked through. 
6. Serve with you favorite pasta and sauce.