Perfect Pairings: Amazeballs and Tempranillo
November 8, 2012 Leave a comment
In honor of International Tempranillo Day 2012, I offer up my “Most Amazing Meatballs” Recipe! These meatballs remind me of the tapas-style Albondigas the anh (adorable new husband) and I feasted on in Madrid just a few short months ago.
These meatballs can be served up however you like…with spaghetti, on a sandwich, as a tapa, or you can do like I do and “pretend” to eat healthy by serving them up with a nice green vegetable. Just don’t forget the Tempranillo!
For more information on Tempranillo and suggested food pairings, see my Tempranillo Cheat Sheet.
The Bubbly Professor’s Amazing Meatballs:
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. Ground Beef
- 1 lb. Pork Sausage (bulk)
- 1 cup dried bread crumbs
- 2 T. finely chopped Parsley
- 1/2 grated Parmesan Cheese
- 2 t. Kosher Salt
- 1 t. freshly ground Black Pepper
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup water
For the Sauce:
- 2 cups chopped Sweet Onion
- 1 T. minced Garlic
- 2 T. olive oil
- 1 cup Tempranillo (or other dry red wine)
- 2 – 28 oz. cans of Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 T. chopped Parsley
- 1 T. Kosher Salt
- 1 t. freshly ground Black Peper
- 1 t. ground Cinnamon
For the Amazeballs:
- Preheat the oven to 350º.
- Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat well with 1 cup water. Set aside.
- Place the ground beef, pork sausage, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl and mix well to combine. You have to get your hands in there.
- Pour the egg and water mixture over the top and mix well again to combine.
- Divide the meatball mixture roughly in half and form each “half” into eight meatballs. You should have a total of 16 meatballs, about 2-inches in diameter each.
- Place the amazeballs on an oiled cookie sheet and bake 350º for 20 minutes.
For the Sauce:
- Sauté the onion and garlic in 2 T. olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Watch the pan so the onions and garlic do not brown, you just want them to soften.
- Add the diced tomatoes and their juice, the wine, salt, pepper, and cinnamon and simmer over low heat for 40 minutes.
- Add the seasoning, adjust the seasoning, and add the finished meatballs.
- Simmer the meatballs for five minutes and eat immediately, that evening, or the next day. This is one of those dishes that gets better after a few days. The meatballs also freeze beautifully in the sauce. If you eat all the meatballs and have sauce leftover, use it to make a pasta dish or whatever strikes your fancy.
The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of Austin, Texas…