Healthy Tasty Italian Meat Balls & Sauce (gravy)

Healthy  Italian meatballs !

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

Combine all ingredients thoroughly by hand, form mixture into 3-4 oz. balls

Drop the meatballs into tomato sauce (recipe follow) 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.

Garnish with chopped parsley, salt and pepper, more shaved parmegiano reggiano and a drizzle of olive oil.

Tomato sauce-

Ingredients

6 cloves garlic
8 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 28-oz. can of whole plum tomatoes (packed only in tomato juice)
Salt and pepper
10 basil leaves

Cooking Directions

Smash the garlic with the back of a knife. Place the garlic and 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the garlic is golden brown. Add the tomatoes and generous pinches of salt and pepper.

Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce is thick and no longer watery, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and turn the heat to high. Stir, crushing the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook until the oil turns red, then turn off the heat and add the basil at the very end.

Makes 2 cups