In the same oil, we sauté the finely chopped onion over low heat until it becomes translucent. We add 2-3 tablespoons of white wine and let it cook until evaporated, stirring occasionally to ensure the onion softens evenly. Once the onion is ready, we remove it from the pan and let it cool. In a large bowl, we mix the minced pork with the sausage meat, add the breadcrumbs and finely chopped herbs. We combine everything until we obtain a homogeneous mixture.
Separately, we use a mortar to turn the remaining garlic into a fine paste, adding a little salt to help it break down. The garlic paste is added to the bowl with the meat, along with the cooled onion, mixing well. We season the mixture with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. We add the eggs and gently knead the mixture, then incorporate the grated Parmesan or cheese, followed by the white breadcrumbs, until we obtain a well-bound but fluffy mixture. We let the mixture cool for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
Meanwhile, we take care of the sauce. In the pan where we sautéed the onion, we put the oil and, once it heats up, add the tomato paste or passata. We cook for about 2 minutes to intensify the flavors due to caramelization. Then, we add the diced tomatoes and let them sauté. If you prefer a smoother sauce, now is the time to use an immersion blender to turn it into a puree. After the sauce has thickened slightly, we add the wine and sugar, stirring constantly. We season with salt and pepper to taste.
We shape the meatballs to the size of a large grape. Each meatball is rolled in flour and then set aside. We have two options to continue the recipe: either we add the meatballs directly to the tomato sauce and let them simmer covered for 30-40 minutes over low heat, or we arrange the meatballs in a heatproof dish covered with sauce and bake them in the oven at 160 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Finally, we serve the meatballs warm, sprinkled with chopped green parsley, alongside fresh bread, rice, mashed potatoes, or al dente pasta. If you opt for pasta, sprinkle a bit of Parmesan or Pecorino for added flavor.
Ingredients
For meatballs approximately 80-85 pieces - 500 g of ground beef - 100 g of ground pork sausage - 100 g of smoked semi-raw pork sausages, removed from the casing and chopped - 100 g of bread crusts, older than 1 day - 100 g of grated Parmesan / 50 g of Parmesan + 50 g of Pecorino / grated cheese - 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh parsley / 1 tablespoon of parsley + 1 tablespoon of dill - 1 large white/red onion, finely chopped - 1 bunch of green onions, sliced thinly - 2 eggs - white breadcrumbs - flour - 3 tablespoons of olive oil - 2-3 tablespoons of dry white wine - 4 cloves of garlic - 1 tablespoon of salt - freshly ground black and white pepper - a pinch of grated nutmeg For the sauce: - 2 tablespoons of olive oil - 2 tablespoons of tomato paste/passata (obtained from 1 large well-roasted tomato, pureed, then passed through a sieve to remove seeds and skin) - 3 cans of diced tomatoes in their own juice / 1 liter of pureed tomatoes (Passata di pomodoro) - a pinch of ground dried chili pepper - 1 tablespoon of sugar - salt - freshly ground pepper - 300 ml of dry white wine Others - 1 tablespoon of shaken dried oregano + 1 tablespoon of shaken dried basil, finely ground in a mortar and then passed through a sieve - finely chopped fresh parsley for serving.