Art + Science = Meatballs

While cooking a big fat spaghetti and meatball New Year's dinner yesterday, I was overheard saying:

"I was going to do this as science, but, by my mistake, I'm going to have to do this as art, and, what this means is, this is probably going to suck." (Teo, New Year's Day, 2006)

I generally believe in cooking as art. But when it comes to complicated cooking with more than one component (i.e. both sauce AND meatballs) or when it comes to combining three meats with lots of herbs and cheeses and crumbs and eggs, well, I wanted to be scientific about it all. Too much margin for error. So I tried for science and added some art (as a method of recovery from a mistake in the scientific process), and I ended up with some KICKASS food.

Because I like to give and share, here's the recipe for my dad's Donatiello sauce and meatballs:

cut and paste:
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Donatiello Spaghetti and Meatballs
Serves 4 or more.

1 Lg can (24 Oz) Liguria Crushed Tomatoes
2 Sm cans Tomato Paste
3 or 4 Paste cans of water (as needed).
1 heaping TBS Italian Parsley
1 heaping TBS Fresh Oregano
1 heaping TBS fresh Basil
2 Med onions
1 Lg Green peppers
1 TBS Salt
1 TBS Red Pepper Fakes
2 Cloves Garlic

Sauté garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil in bottom of stock pot ( approx 5 min). Sauté onions, then peppers until translucent. Add tomatoes and paste and two cans of water. Add Spices and salt. Bring to boil, and then low heat (Simmer) while you prepare the meatballs. Occasionally taste, and add salt to remove any bitterness. Cook for two hours after adding Meatballs, stirring occasionally. Add water as needed for gravy consistency.

Meatballs :

1 - 1.5 Lb combo; 1/2 grnd sirloin, 1/4 pork, 1/4 veal (Sometimes labeled meat loaf ).
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS Chopped Fresh Italian Parsley
2 TSP Chopped Fresh Basil
1 TSP Salt
Bread Crumbs

Combine meat, eggs, Spices and 1/4 cup Cheese. Knead with Spoon or hands until mixed. Wet hands to form Lg Egg size balls. Half flatten ball, and coat with mixture of plain bread crumbs and 1/4 cup Cheese. Brown each side of balls in hot Veg oil for about 7 min each side, or until brown. Use slotted spoon to set meatballs in fry pan, turn and remove. Put Meatballs in Sauce and cook for two hours, stirring occasionally.

Add Meat and Sauce to your choice of pasta (Spaghetti or Linguini is best for this thicker sauce), and serve with Parisian cheese.
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Coupla notes:

- I did not use Liguria tomatoes because I couldn't find them. That's OK.
- I used three large cloves of garlic for the sauce. Fine.
- I used 2 lbs. of meat rather than the 1 - 1.5 lbs. in the recipe, and I did not adjust any of the other ingredients. Works fine. Also my proportions of the three meats were in equal amounts rather than the .5-.25-.25 ratio listed above. Was fine.
- I fucked up the water and had to drain and re-add paste and water again. This was my deviation from science into art. It worked out.

Let me tell you, not only did it work out, but it was some of the best freakin' sauce and meatballs ever made. So next Sunday, I want all of you to cook for about four hours (count on 1.5 hours from beginning the sauce to having everything in there and beginning the simmer process). Then, I want the results.

I'll wait.