An Ode to Nonnie on Superbowl Sunday

Happy Superbowl Sunday! To my knowledge, my Nonnie never cared about football, or was ever really part of the football-watching culture in general, however, if she knew what kind of a food following these kinds of occasions provided -- she'd be all about it. We're hosting tonight, and for the occasion, I'm making meatballs. If you live near me, you've probably eaten one of these numbers at some point, and if not, I'm sorry. But you can make them yourself!

Check it out -- my cousin and I (mostly my cousin) published all of our Nonnie's handwritten recipes. We couldn't resist throwing a few of our own favorite recipes in the mix, and you can find them all in this wonderful volume:



For $20 (plus $5 shipping), you can bring Nonnie into your kitchen -- and trust me, there's NOTHING like Nonnie in the kitchen.

Here's the meatball recipe I'll be using today, just to whet your appetites:

Meatballs

You’ll need:
Equal parts beef, pork, and veal –totalling 2.5 lbs.
1 onion, grated
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
½ to 3/4 C. cup plain bread crumbs
2 T. tomato paste
1 T. dried oregano
½ C. chopped flat leaf Italian parsley
½ C. parmesan
1 egg

Sauce:
1 28 oz. can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
1 small can chopped San Marzano tomatoes
1 cup good red wine

Method:
Mix meat lightly, just until ingredients are combined – careful not to overmix. Make into balls the size of golf balls – and sautee in batches until browned. Transfer to a baking pan. Deglaze pan with wine, add tomatoes & salt to taste. Pour sauce over sautéed meatballs in baking dish, cover with parchment paper then tinfoil, and bake at 300 degrees for 2 hours (or more, if you're a glutton for punishment--your house will smell too amazing to wait to eat these). Enjoy on their own, with your favorite pasta, with garlic bread, or in a bun as a sandwich!

Salute!