At the time of this post, this is actually the second time I've had a go at this recipe. The first attempt was on day 2 (Friday, the 13th) and day 3 of culinary bootcamp (i.e., today, when I created the gravy). Of course, you can have the meatballs on their own but I do suggest trying your hand at the gravy! Preheat your oven to 400°F and lightly grease your baking dish with the cooking spray or extra virgin olive oil.
MISE EN PLACE
You will need:
RECIPE 4A
For the meatballs:
*Small sauté pan
*Extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp
*A small onion, finely chopped/brunoised
*4 cloves of garlic, minced
*Salt, 1 tsp
*Pepper, 1/3 tsp
*Dried oregano, 1 tsp
*Bread crumbs, 1/2 c
*Mixing bowl
*Two eggs
Ground beef, 1 lb
*Baking dish (13" x 9")
*Cooking spray/extra virgin olive oil
For the meatball coating:
*Small bowl
*Flour, 4 tbsps
*Paprika, 2 tsps
*Dried oregano, 1 tsp
*Salt, 1/2 tsp
RECIPE 4B
For the gravy:
*Large sauté pan
*Extra virgin olive oil^
1/2 an onion, roughly diced
*The leftover fat and meat from the meatballs (recipe 3a)
*Water, room-temperature, 1 c
*Flour, 1 tbsp
*Salt, 1 tsp
*Pepper, 1/2 tsp
*Dried oregano, 1 tsp
^Refer to my reflections for days 2 & 3.
You will need:
RECIPE 4A
For the meatballs:
*Small sauté pan
*Extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp
*A small onion, finely chopped/brunoised
*4 cloves of garlic, minced
*Salt, 1 tsp
*Pepper, 1/3 tsp
*Dried oregano, 1 tsp
*Bread crumbs, 1/2 c
*Mixing bowl
*Two eggs
Ground beef, 1 lb
*Baking dish (13" x 9")
*Cooking spray/extra virgin olive oil
For the meatball coating:
*Small bowl
*Flour, 4 tbsps
*Paprika, 2 tsps
*Dried oregano, 1 tsp
*Salt, 1/2 tsp
RECIPE 4B
For the gravy:
*Large sauté pan
*Extra virgin olive oil^
1/2 an onion, roughly diced
*The leftover fat and meat from the meatballs (recipe 3a)
*Water, room-temperature, 1 c
*Flour, 1 tbsp
*Salt, 1 tsp
*Pepper, 1/2 tsp
*Dried oregano, 1 tsp
^Refer to my reflections for days 2 & 3.
RECIPE 4A
1. In the small sauté pan, heat up the olive oil and sauté the onions, making sure to coat the onions in the oil. Make sure the pan is on low-medium so that the onions do not burn. After a few minutes, add the garlic and continue cooking until just before the onions brown. Remember, the garlic--which should be minced--is relatively smaller than the finely chopped or brunoised onions, so it needs less time to cook.
2. Once the onion and garlic have cooked, bring the heat to low and stir in the salt, pepper and dried oregano. When the spices have been mixed in, turn off the heat. Add the breadcrumbs to the pan and stir. Leave the pan on the stovetop and allow the remaining heat and heat coming from the oven to slightly heat this breadcrumb mixture.
3. While the pan is cooling off, combine the meatbowl coating ingredients in the small bowl.
4. In the mixing bowl, crack the eggs and make sure none of the eggshells have gotten into the bowl. To this, add the ground beef and mix thoroughly by hand; I would suggest using one hand for this part. You could use a mixing spoon, but I am convinced mixing by hand better ensures the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. When the pan has completely cooled, use your mixing hand to add the breadcrumb mix to the meat; be sure to remove everything from the pan... don't waste the flavor!
5. Wash your hands and once dried, consider one hand to be used solely for the meatball mix and the other hand for the flour mix. Use a spoon (in your flour hand) or your meatball hand to guesstimate 1 rounded tablespoon of meatball mix. (I.e., keep one hand as clean as possible). Shape the meatball mix into a small ball of meat and drop in the flour mix. With your flouring hand, shake off the excess flour mix. Place each rounded meatball onto your pre-greased baking dish.
6. Bake the meatballs for 25-30 minutes.
RECIPE 4B
7. Immediately transfer the meatballs to a serving dish; the longer you wait, the more the meatballs will stick to the baking dish. As you remove the meatballs, use some cooking tongs or a sloted spatula to drain the fat. Remember, you're going to be using the leftovers to make the gravy!
8. In the large sauté pan, heat up the extra virgin olive oil and cook the onions on medium heat, making sure not to burn them. While the onions are cooking, quickly scrape the leftovers from the baking dish. Add the leftovers to the onions.
9. Add 1/2 c water and stir in 1 tbsp flour. Lower the heat to medium-low. When the flour has been incorporated, add the rest of the water to the pan. Add the salt, pepper and dried oregano, and continue cooking the gravy until the sauce has reduced (the gravy should not be watery nor should it be a massive lump).
10. Stir this gravy into the meatballs or serve separately.
Yield: 2 dozen meatballs
1. In the small sauté pan, heat up the olive oil and sauté the onions, making sure to coat the onions in the oil. Make sure the pan is on low-medium so that the onions do not burn. After a few minutes, add the garlic and continue cooking until just before the onions brown. Remember, the garlic--which should be minced--is relatively smaller than the finely chopped or brunoised onions, so it needs less time to cook.
2. Once the onion and garlic have cooked, bring the heat to low and stir in the salt, pepper and dried oregano. When the spices have been mixed in, turn off the heat. Add the breadcrumbs to the pan and stir. Leave the pan on the stovetop and allow the remaining heat and heat coming from the oven to slightly heat this breadcrumb mixture.
3. While the pan is cooling off, combine the meatbowl coating ingredients in the small bowl.
4. In the mixing bowl, crack the eggs and make sure none of the eggshells have gotten into the bowl. To this, add the ground beef and mix thoroughly by hand; I would suggest using one hand for this part. You could use a mixing spoon, but I am convinced mixing by hand better ensures the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. When the pan has completely cooled, use your mixing hand to add the breadcrumb mix to the meat; be sure to remove everything from the pan... don't waste the flavor!
5. Wash your hands and once dried, consider one hand to be used solely for the meatball mix and the other hand for the flour mix. Use a spoon (in your flour hand) or your meatball hand to guesstimate 1 rounded tablespoon of meatball mix. (I.e., keep one hand as clean as possible). Shape the meatball mix into a small ball of meat and drop in the flour mix. With your flouring hand, shake off the excess flour mix. Place each rounded meatball onto your pre-greased baking dish.
6. Bake the meatballs for 25-30 minutes.
RECIPE 4B
7. Immediately transfer the meatballs to a serving dish; the longer you wait, the more the meatballs will stick to the baking dish. As you remove the meatballs, use some cooking tongs or a sloted spatula to drain the fat. Remember, you're going to be using the leftovers to make the gravy!
8. In the large sauté pan, heat up the extra virgin olive oil and cook the onions on medium heat, making sure not to burn them. While the onions are cooking, quickly scrape the leftovers from the baking dish. Add the leftovers to the onions.
9. Add 1/2 c water and stir in 1 tbsp flour. Lower the heat to medium-low. When the flour has been incorporated, add the rest of the water to the pan. Add the salt, pepper and dried oregano, and continue cooking the gravy until the sauce has reduced (the gravy should not be watery nor should it be a massive lump).
10. Stir this gravy into the meatballs or serve separately.
Yield: 2 dozen meatballs
For more photos like this from culinary bootcamp, days 2 and 3: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2054722&id=36203035&l=dcf7b33f89