Italian Beef Casserole
Italian meatballs are one of the most famous and popular Italian dishes. There are several ways to make them using either beef or pork, and they are usually served in a nice hearty tomato based sauce. The great thing is that Italian beef meatballs can almost go with anything and can even be a nice entree served with a side salad.
The recipe below is very simple and easy to make. This is an authetic Italian meatball recipe and you will see what makes this beef dish special. Not all meatballs are cooked in a sauce and some even prefer frying them. The key to this meatball recipe is to let them cook nice and slowly. This will make sure they stay juicy and allow them to blend well with all ingredients. Why pay big money for meatballs at a restauran when you can make them in your own kitchen.
1 egg
1 lb ground beef
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the sauce:
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 cans tomato puree, 28 oz each
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon basil
28 oz can peeled plum tomatoes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 diced onion
6 cloves
1/4 cup grated mozzarella
I recommend making the sauce first.
- In a pan sautee the garlic and onion in some olive oil.
- In a bowl, squash the plum tomatoes with your hand
- In a seperate bowl, mix together the egg, ground beef, parmesan, pepper, garlic powder, milk, oregano, parsley, salt, and breadcrumbs
- Take this beef mixture and make golf ball sized balls. Make sure the meat is firmly packed
- Add the Sauce into a crock pot and place the meatballs in it
- Cook in the slow cooker for 3 hours