Spanish Style Albondigas in a Sunny Mediterranean Sauce Recipe

Spanish Style Albondigas in a Sunny Mediterranean Sauce Recipe

  • 2/3 pound ground beef
  • 1/3 pound ground pork
  • 2 tablespoons minced green onion
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 3 1/2 ounces fresh white bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 1/2 ounces pancetta, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons minced onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons minced carrot
  • 2 tablespoons minced celery
  • 2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 2 grinds ground black pepper
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 2 tablespoons tomato puree
  • 1 (28 ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed
  1. Mix ground beef, ground pork, green onion, oregano, parsley, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl. Slowly add and mix breadcrumbs into meat mixture to desired consistency. Form mixture into balls, roll them in remaining bread crumbs to coat, and arrange onto a shallow tray. Cover meatballs with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir pancetta in the hot oil until browned, about 4 minutes. Add onion and garlic to the pancetta; continue to cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir carrot, celery, and red bell pepper into the pancetta mixture; cook until the carrot softens slightly, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle basil, oregano, coriander, and black pepper over pancetta mixture; stir to season evenly.
  3. Pour wine over the pancetta mixture. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid reduces by about half.
  4. Quickly stir tomato puree into pancetta mixture; add chopped tomatoes. Cook and stir the mixture until the tomatoes begin to break down into a sauce, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the sauce thickens, 60 to 90 minutes.
  5. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over low heat. Cook and stir meatballs in batches in hot oil until evenly browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes; drain on a plate lined with paper towel.
  6. Gently drop meatballs into the simmering sauce; cook together until meatballs are heated through, about 10 minutes.
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