Bread meatballs in sauce, a healthy, tasty, and economical second course ideal for using stale bread.
Bread meatballs in sauce can be prepared in advance and then heated a few minutes before serving. The meatballs are cooked directly in the sauce without the need to fry them first, making them lighter and more digestible.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 16/18 meatballs
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for Bread Meatballs in Sauce:
- 9 oz stale bread
- 3 cups milk (at room temperature)
- 1 medium egg (at room temperature)
- 6 tbsps grated Parmesan cheese
- 24 oz tomato puree
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove fresh garlic
- to taste fine salt
- to taste black pepper
- to taste chopped parsley
Tools for Bread Meatballs in Sauce:
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Pan
Steps for Preparing and Cooking Bread Meatballs in Sauce:
Cut the stale bread into small cubes and place it in a bowl, add the milk at room temperature or slightly warm, stir well, and let it rest for 10 minutes.
If you are lactose intolerant, you can replace it with vegetable broth or warm water.
After the time has passed, squeeze the bread with your hands (to remove the excess milk), place it in a bowl with the egg, Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper.
Mix the mixture well, if the dough is too soft add some breadcrumbs, if it is too dense add a little milk.
With the mixture, make slightly flattened meatballs.
In a large pan, put 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, the garlic clove, and when it’s hot but not boiling, add the tomato puree, salt, and stir well.
Cook for about ten minutes on low heat, remove the garlic clove, and add the bread meatballs, cook for 15 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking.
Bread meatballs are much softer and more delicate than classic meatballs, so when turning them use a spoon and be very gentle.
To prevent them from sticking to the pan, shake it gently but decisively occasionally.
Leave a little space between one meatball and another because during cooking they will tend to swell.
Serve the bread meatballs in sauce very hot.
Tips:
If you want an even tastier version, fry the meatballs in oil first and then add them to the sauce.
