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.
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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
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Soak 100g breadcrumbs in 60ml milk for 5 minutes until a soft paste (panade) forms.
Combine meat, breadcrumb paste, 50g Pecorino, egg, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Gently mix by hand until just combined; do not overwork the meat or it will become dense.
Roll mixture into 12-14 golf-ball-sized rounds, roughly 50g (2 oz) each.
In a wide pan, sear meatballs in olive oil over medium-high heat until browned on all sides.
Remove meatballs from pan; add sliced garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes to the remaining oil.
Pour in 800g crushed tomatoes and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
Nestles meatballs back into the sauce, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until cooked through.
Season sauce with salt; top with 30g fresh basil and 20g grated cheese before serving.
Finish with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for a restaurant-style sheen.
Steak au Poivre. Tender beef on spinach with a silky peppercorn sauce, haricots verts, and fries.