Scale
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground sirloin
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (we used Italian style, which were pre-seasoned. If you use regular, or make your own, kick up the other seasonings a notch or two)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasonings (or a mix of dried oregano, basil, garlic powder, etc.)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (somewhere in Italy, someone’s nonna just had a heart palpitation, but the mustard keeps the meatballs moist and adds subtle flavor)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce (my go-to recipe is here)
- 1 pound of your favorite pasta (we used rigatoni)
Instructions
- Mix the ingredients with your hands (or a fork, I suppose) until incorporated. Shape the meat into 2-inch balls and place them, evenly separated, on a lined baking sheet. You should end up with about 16 meatballs.
- Bake the meatballs at 400F for about 20 minutes, until they have browned completely.
- While the meatballs are baking, heat up the tomato sauce in a large pot. When the meatballs have finished in the oven, place them in the sauce and simmer, uncovered, 15-20 minutes. (Hint: now’s a good time to start your pasta.)
- Serve the pasta with the meatballs and sauce. Top with more grated cheese. Let your stomach brag to your brain about how it has won, yet again.