Rao's Meatballs

If you read Wednesday's post, you already know how much I like Rao's marinara sauce. And while I was on their website looking up that recipe, I spotted this one for meatballs. But since it's practically impossible to get into Rao's restaurant, I've never actually tasted their meatballs, so I have nothing to compare these to. But I can tell you that I liked these better than the meatballs I used to make (which were pretty good), so now these are my new meatballs.

Side note: If anyone knows anyone, who knows anyone, who knows Frankie No (or anyone he knows) and thinks they can get me a reservation, let me know. We can go together (if you don't mind dining with someone you met in cyberspace). My treat.

RAO’S MEATBALLS

Makes about 28 meatballs

1 pound ground lean beef

½ pound ground veal

½ pound ground pork

2 large eggs

1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1 ½ tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

½ small garlic clove, peeled and minced

2 cups bread crumbs

2 cups lukewarm water

salt & black pepper to taste

1 cup Rao’s extra virgin olive oil

7 cups Rao’s marinara sauce for simmering (homemade or jarred)

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1.      Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add eggs, cheese, parsley, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Using your hands, blend ingredients together.

2.      Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add water,1 cup at a time, until the mixture is quite moist.

3.      Shape the meat mixture into balls (2½ to 3 inch balls).

4.      Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. When oil is very hot but not smoking, fry meatballs in batches. When bottom half of meatball is very brown and slightly crisp turn and cook top half. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.

5.      Lower cooked meatballs into simmering marinara sauce and cook for 15 minutes. Serve over pasta or on their own.

from Rao’s Restaurant, NYC

ground beef and pork (I couldn't find veal without
hormones and antibiotics etc., so I just left it out)

meat, eggs, cheese, spices & breadcrumbs

mixed

adding water

water mixed in

frying rolled balls

flipped

going in to the sauce

submerged

Rao's meatball (cross section)

If you want to make them rounder, you can take the
time to flip them onto their sides during frying so
they'll even out. But I didn't think it mattered enough to
take the time. No one ever turned down a flat meatball.

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