Polpette al Sugo — Italian Meatballs Braised in Tomato

Tear the bread into rough chunks and submerge in the milk. Leave to soak for 10 minutes until fully saturated, then squeeze out the excess milk firmly — the bread should be wet but not dripping.

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, soaked bread, egg, Parmigiano, parsley, and garlic. Season with 1 tsp salt and several grinds of black pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined — do not overwork or the meatballs will be dense.

Roll the mixture into balls about 4 cm in diameter (roughly 40 g each, golf-ball size). You should get 14–16 meatballs. Set aside on a plate.

Heat 45 ml of the olive oil in a wide, heavy-based pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the meatballs in batches — do not crowd the pan — for 2–3 minutes per side until browned all over. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 15 ml of olive oil to the pan and add the sliced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until completely soft and translucent.

Crush the San Marzano tomatoes by hand directly into the pan, including the juice. Season with a pinch of salt and simmer for 5 minutes.

Nestle the seared meatballs into the sauce in a single layer. Reduce to the lowest possible heat. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and braise for 40–45 minutes, gently shaking the pan every 10 minutes to prevent sticking. Do not stir with a spoon — it will break the meatballs.

Taste the sauce and adjust salt. Spoon the sauce onto cooked pasta as the first course, then plate the meatballs with the remaining sauce as the main. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil if you like.