Post by naturelovr on Nov 6, 2011 8:24:01 GMT -6
The Perfect Italian Meatballs
by Chow Ciao, on Mon Oct 31, 2011 12:40pm PDT
Inspired by his grandfather, Fabio gives tricks and tips on how to chose the right meat to make his famous meatballs and then makes a simple meatball using basic ground beef served up in his marinara sauce.
Tips and secrets in episode:
Don’t waste expensive cuts of meat on meatballs! If prepared correctly, a cheaper cut of meat, beef shoulder, chuck and scraps will make a perfect meatball.
The perfect texture and flavor in an Italian meatballs is achieved using ricotta cheese, parmesan, one egg and panko breadcrumbs very well integrated into the seasoned meat. In a pinch, crumbled stale bread may be substituted for panko. Easy!
Coat your hands with olive oil to form perfect meatballs easily.
Meatballs cook best in a simple tomato sauce (see Chow Ciao Episode 1003 The Perfect Tomato Sauce for recipe and tips.)
Once the meatballs are cooking in the sauce, add water to it. As the water evaporates, the steam will cook your meatballs perfectly.
Let the meatballs sear at the bottom of the sauce pan and rotate them to finish, adding more water to steam the second side as it reduces.
Cover the meatballs in a marinara sauce “blanket” as they cook to seal in more flavor.
THE PERFECT ITALIAN MEATBALLS
Recipe by Fabio Viviani
Cook time: 25 Minutes
Yield: 8 meatballs
Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef (90/10)
4 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 egg
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste
fresh parsley for garnish
Place all above ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix thoroughly by hand until they are completely combined and the mixture is uniformly firm.
Coat your hands in olive oil, and using your hands form mixture into 3-4 oz. balls
Drop the meatballs into Fabio’s tomato sauce (see recipe here) and add some water so that the sauce can reduce and simmer. Let cook for about 10 minutes on one side.
Turn them over, add some more water and cook for another 10 minutes, covering in the sauce with a spoon as they simmer.
Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Garnish with chopped parsley, salt and pepper, more shaved parmegiano reggiano and a drizzle of olive oil, of course!
MANGIA!
shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/the-perfect-italian-meatballs-2606824/
The Perfect Tomato Sauce
Fabio gives us his tricks & tips on using tomatoes and creates a flavorful, super-simple marinara sauce with fresh garlic and canned tomatoes.
Tips and secrets in episode:
• Slice tomatoes with a very sharp knife to keep in the juices
• How to refresh overripe tomatoes
• For sauce, 90% of the time canned is better because it contains more flavor. Use canned variety packed in tomato juice not water.
• Crush the tomatoes yourself as one of the last steps to maintain deep flavor.
• Prepare an Italian tomato sauce with olive oil. When the oil starts to turn red in color the sauce is finished cooking.
Recipe by Fabio Viviani
The Perfect Tomato Sauce
Cook time: 10 Minutes
Yield: 2 Cups of Sauce
INGREDIENTS
6 cloves garlic
6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
28 oz can of whole plum tomatoes (packed in only tomato juice)
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
3-4 leaves fresh basil for garnish
Method:
Smash 6 cloves of garlic with the back of a knife.
Over medium heat, cook garlic in 3 Tbsp. of EVOO until golden brown.
Add tomatoes and generous pinch of salt and pepper.
Cook until thick (about 8 to 10 minutes) and is no longer watery in consistency.
Add 3 more Tbsp. more of EVOO, turn to higher heat.
Crush tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon.
Cook until the oil turns red. This will tell you the sauce is done!
Cook’s Note: The sauce is very versatile and can be used with any pasta; added to meats, fish, vegetables; or topped on toasted crostini, breads, pizza crusts.
MANGIA!
shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/you-say-tomato-the-perfect-tomato-sauce-2587264/;_ylt=Amoem8__IZR_qUg15P5uh4VgbqU5
by Chow Ciao, on Mon Oct 31, 2011 12:40pm PDT
Inspired by his grandfather, Fabio gives tricks and tips on how to chose the right meat to make his famous meatballs and then makes a simple meatball using basic ground beef served up in his marinara sauce.
Tips and secrets in episode:
Don’t waste expensive cuts of meat on meatballs! If prepared correctly, a cheaper cut of meat, beef shoulder, chuck and scraps will make a perfect meatball.
The perfect texture and flavor in an Italian meatballs is achieved using ricotta cheese, parmesan, one egg and panko breadcrumbs very well integrated into the seasoned meat. In a pinch, crumbled stale bread may be substituted for panko. Easy!
Coat your hands with olive oil to form perfect meatballs easily.
Meatballs cook best in a simple tomato sauce (see Chow Ciao Episode 1003 The Perfect Tomato Sauce for recipe and tips.)
Once the meatballs are cooking in the sauce, add water to it. As the water evaporates, the steam will cook your meatballs perfectly.
Let the meatballs sear at the bottom of the sauce pan and rotate them to finish, adding more water to steam the second side as it reduces.
Cover the meatballs in a marinara sauce “blanket” as they cook to seal in more flavor.
THE PERFECT ITALIAN MEATBALLS
Recipe by Fabio Viviani
Cook time: 25 Minutes
Yield: 8 meatballs
Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef (90/10)
4 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 egg
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste
fresh parsley for garnish
Place all above ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix thoroughly by hand until they are completely combined and the mixture is uniformly firm.
Coat your hands in olive oil, and using your hands form mixture into 3-4 oz. balls
Drop the meatballs into Fabio’s tomato sauce (see recipe here) and add some water so that the sauce can reduce and simmer. Let cook for about 10 minutes on one side.
Turn them over, add some more water and cook for another 10 minutes, covering in the sauce with a spoon as they simmer.
Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Garnish with chopped parsley, salt and pepper, more shaved parmegiano reggiano and a drizzle of olive oil, of course!
MANGIA!
shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/the-perfect-italian-meatballs-2606824/
*********************
The Perfect Tomato Sauce
Fabio gives us his tricks & tips on using tomatoes and creates a flavorful, super-simple marinara sauce with fresh garlic and canned tomatoes.
Tips and secrets in episode:
• Slice tomatoes with a very sharp knife to keep in the juices
• How to refresh overripe tomatoes
• For sauce, 90% of the time canned is better because it contains more flavor. Use canned variety packed in tomato juice not water.
• Crush the tomatoes yourself as one of the last steps to maintain deep flavor.
• Prepare an Italian tomato sauce with olive oil. When the oil starts to turn red in color the sauce is finished cooking.
Recipe by Fabio Viviani
The Perfect Tomato Sauce
Cook time: 10 Minutes
Yield: 2 Cups of Sauce
INGREDIENTS
6 cloves garlic
6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
28 oz can of whole plum tomatoes (packed in only tomato juice)
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
3-4 leaves fresh basil for garnish
Method:
Smash 6 cloves of garlic with the back of a knife.
Over medium heat, cook garlic in 3 Tbsp. of EVOO until golden brown.
Add tomatoes and generous pinch of salt and pepper.
Cook until thick (about 8 to 10 minutes) and is no longer watery in consistency.
Add 3 more Tbsp. more of EVOO, turn to higher heat.
Crush tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon.
Cook until the oil turns red. This will tell you the sauce is done!
Cook’s Note: The sauce is very versatile and can be used with any pasta; added to meats, fish, vegetables; or topped on toasted crostini, breads, pizza crusts.
MANGIA!
shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/you-say-tomato-the-perfect-tomato-sauce-2587264/;_ylt=Amoem8__IZR_qUg15P5uh4VgbqU5