Polpette al Pomodoro - Don Angie Style

Prep time: 20 min | Cook time: 40 min | Servings: 4

These tender, melt-in-your-mouth meatballs are inspired by the iconic Italian-American flavors of NYC's Don Angie. Bathed in a vibrant, zesty tomato sauce and topped with fresh herbs, they bring the West Village right to your kitchen.

Ingredients

The Meatballs

• 500g (1.1 lbs) Ground beef and pork mix (50/50 ratio)

• 100g (2 cups) Fresh sourdough breadcrumbs

• 60ml (1/4 cup) Whole milk

• 50g (1/2 cup) Grated Pecorino Romano cheese

• 1 Large egg, beaten

• 2 Garlic cloves, finely minced

• 5g (1 tsp) Kosher salt

• 2g (1/2 tsp) Black pepper

The Tomato Sauce

• 800g (28 oz) Crushed San Marzano tomatoes

• 30ml (2 tbsp) Extra virgin olive oil

• 3 Garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 5g (1 tsp) Dried oregano

• 2g (1/2 tsp) Red pepper flakes

• Salt to taste

Garnish & Finish

• 30g (1/4 cup) Fresh basil leaves, torn

• 20g (3 tbsp) Grated Parmesan or Pecorino

• 15ml (1 tbsp) High-quality olive oil for drizzling

Instructions

1. Soak 100g breadcrumbs in 60ml milk for 5 minutes until a soft paste (panade) forms.

2. Combine meat, breadcrumb paste, 50g Pecorino, egg, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

3. Gently mix by hand until just combined; do not overwork the meat or it will become dense.

4. Roll mixture into 12-14 golf-ball-sized rounds, roughly 50g (2 oz) each.

5. In a wide pan, sear meatballs in olive oil over medium-high heat until browned on all sides.

6. Remove meatballs from pan; add sliced garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes to the remaining oil.

7. Pour in 800g crushed tomatoes and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.

8. Nestles meatballs back into the sauce, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until cooked through.

9. Season sauce with salt; top with 30g fresh basil and 20g grated cheese before serving.

10. Finish with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for a restaurant-style sheen.

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Recipe inspired by restaurant

Don Angie

New York

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