Letters from an Aspiring Sous #52

Goodbye meatballs

When Alex and I began this fifty-two week endeavor last January, we were feeling somewhat disconnected from our family and friends. In an attempt to share (and often overshare), we set out to capture one recipe cooked each week while keeping you mildly entertained along the way. We figured that if you could cook what we had cooked, it might feel like some small flicker of connectivity. It turned out to be equal parts history lesson, story time, and cooking class infomercial.

Some weeks were harder to hit than others but this week marks the last of those fifty-two consecutive Friday deadlines. Thanks to everyone that has made us a part of your end-of-week ritual. We read, loved and appreciated every comment and reply. Every photo of a recipe cooked in your own kitchens. Every clarifying phone call and text message highlighting each of the holes in my spotty instructions. When I offhandedly proposed we write this newsletter last January, I’m not sure that Alex knew what she was signing herself up for. Thanks, Alex, for letting us push back vacation weekends so that I could finish writing and keeping me motivated even through the few weeks that have felt more burden than joy.

On whole, I’ve so enjoyed writing these newsletters that I toyed with continuing them indefinitely. My head chef, however, reminded me that it was time to take a break after our year-long goal was met. I may be the sous-based-muscle of this newsletter, but Alex has been the brains behind the operation, shouldering a disproportionate amount of the recipe selection, shopping, and cooking — all while working long days and six day weeks. And while I’ve learned my way around the kitchen this past year (Alex even asked me how to properly chop an onion last night), I’m no head chef and the story telling turns out to be the easy part of this little ensemble.

Last night’s final-newsletter-goodbye-meal felt like a momentary reflection of both the year behind us, as well as the one yet to come. We had invited two friends over for a meatball soiree, although only one could attend. The other is currently quarantining at home due to a positive COVID test. I hope that this coming year brings fewer dinner party disruptions and more dinner parties. Because if last night was any indication, there’s truly no substitute for sitting around the same table while sharing stories with good wine and great meatballs.

If I’ve learned anything (besides how to chop an onion) this past year, it’s that cooking turns out to be just one more relationship game — it’s best done with other people and for other people — and that it’s always worth grating your own parmesan. So my wish for you all heading into this new year is that you’re able to invite more of your favorite people back into your homes, mash some meatballs together and grate your own cheese. It’s worth it. And if you need a cheese grater, fine, here you go.

Recipe-wise, we’re ending where we began with one final meal from Alison Roman — her newsletter, in fact. That she titled this recipe Goodbye Meatballs seemed like a fitting send off. I suppose there’s always a chance that we return with some future incantation of our own newsletter in the new year. I know where to find you. Until then, our kitchen is a mess and we’d love to see you. You can bring the wine.

Goodbye (see you later) meatballs

Serves 6-8

For the meatballs

• 1 cup whole milk, full fat ricotta cheese

• 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

• 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

• 2 large eggs

• 2-3 garlic cloves, finely grated or chopped

• 1/2 medium yellow or red onion, very finely chopped

• Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and/or crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1 pound ground pork

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the sauce

• 1 1/2 medium yellow or red onions, finely chopped 

• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper 

• A few anchovies 

• 2–3 tablespoons tomato paste

• 22 ounce can of whole, peeled tomatoes 

• 12 ounces fresh tomatoes, whole if small, halved if medium, chopped if large

Step 1. Let’s make some meatballs. Mix the ricotta, parmesan, parsley, bread crumbs, eggs, garlic and onion in a medium bowl. Season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes and let sit for 10 minutes to hydrate those bread crumbs.

Step 2. Add beef and pork and 2 teaspoons of salt. Mix everything together until well combined. Get in there with your hands to do the job right. Once everything is well mixed, roll a single itty bitty meatball.

Step 3. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook your sacrificial meatball until well browned on all sides and cooked through. Now eat it. How does it taste? Does it need more salt? More pepper flakes? Is it the most beautiful and tender meatball you’ve ever tasted? Good.

Step 4. Roll the rest of the mixture into balls about 2-inches in diameter. We were able to roll 26 meatballs in all, half of which are now in our freezer.

Step 5. If you turned the stove off to craft your meatballs, go ahead and re-heat the oil over medium heat. Working in batches (depending on how many meatballs you’re making), brown the meatballs on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per batch. They won’t be cooked through, which is fine. They will finish cooking in the sauce.

Step 6. Once browned, transfer all of the meatballs to a large bowl to hang out while we turn our attention to the sauce.

Step 7. Add onions and garlic to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until tender but not yet browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add anchovies and tomato paste and stir until paste has turned a darker shade of red, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 8. Add fresh tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until they’re burst and jammy, about 5 minutes. Add canned tomatoes. Fill can up half way with water, swirl once or twice and add to pot. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 9. Bring to a simmer and add the meatballs and any juices from bowl. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until sauce has thickened and meatballs are cooked through and tender, 30 to 40 minutes.

Step 10. As your meatballs and sauce come together, boil water for pasta and cook until al dente. Toss everything together in a couple of bowls and you’ve got yourself a delicious end to one hell of a year.