SAL’S MEATBALLS

Chef Adam Waller of Bar Americano shares his Sicilian greatgrandfather’s recipe for a classic, redone with a lighter touch. The meatballs are on the restaurant’s appetizer menu.

For the meatballs: 1 pound ground chuck 1 pound ground pork 4 ounces diced pancetta 1 diced yellow onion 5 cloves minced garlic 1 tablespoon chopped

oregano

½ teaspoon chopped

rosemary

⅓ cup chopped parsley 1 tablespoon ground

fennel seed ½ tablespoon chili flakes 3 beaten eggs

½ cup grated Parmesan

cheese

3 ounces dried bread soaked in water to cover for 5 minutes, then squeezed dry 1 tablespoon salt ½ tablespoon black pepper

In a large bowl, combine the chuck, pork, pancetta, onion, garlic, oregano, rosemary, parsley, fennel seed, chili flakes, eggs, Parmesan, bread, salt and black pepper. Mix together with your hands until everything is incorporated. Take a small piece out and cook in a hot pan with a little olive oil to check for seasoning. Adjust seasoning if needed. Scoop the meat mixture into golf ball-sized rounds and refrigerate while preparing the sauce.

For the sauce: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 diced yellow onion 2 sliced garlic cloves 2 14-ounce cans whole

plum tomatoes 1 teaspoon chili flakes 1 teaspoon dried

oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until lightly browned. Add the tomatoes, chili flakes, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer 10 minutes, then remove and reserve in a large baking dish.

To cook the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat 5 tablespoons olive oil. Add the meatballs carefully, one at a time, and brown evenly. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches, about 6-7 minutes per batch.

Add the cooked meatballs to the reserved sauce in the baking pan, submerging the meatballs in the sauce. Bake 30 minutes.

Remove pan from the oven. Remove meatballs from sauce and, using a hand blender, mix the sauce until lightly puréed, about 30 seconds.

To serve: Using small plates, set 3 or 4 meatballs on each plate and top each serving with a generous portion of sauce. Serve hot. Serves: 6.

Per serving: 650 calories (percent of calories from fat, 61), 41 grams protein, 22 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 44 grams fat (16 grams saturated), 236 milligrams cholesterol, 1,967 milligrams sodium.