Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Meatballs:
- 3 lbs. of ground beef
- 4 cloves of garlic - grated
- 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese - grated
- Healthy handful of Italian parsley - stems removed and chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup golden raisins - chopped
- 4 slices white bread - crumbled
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup canola oil
For the Greek Inspired Sauce:
- 2 - 28 oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
- 1 large sweet onion - sliced thin
- 4 - 5 cloves of garlic - crushed and chopped
- Healthy handful of Italian parsley - stems removed and chopped
- 1/2 cup golden raisins - chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 2 tbs. honey
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 2 tbs. wine - any color
- 3 tbs. olive oil
- Your favorite pasta
Instructions
For the Meatballs:
- Preheat Oven 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl place, the egg, milk, crumbled bread, chopped parsley, Parmesan cheese, seasonings, bread crumbs, chopped raisins, grated garlic, tomato sauce and canola oil. Mix these ingredients together.
- Add the ground beef and incorporated into the wet ingredients.
- Form the meat mixture into desired sized meatballs and place in a baking dish.
- Bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Take the meatballs out of the oven and set aside while preparing the sauce.
For the Greek Inspired Sauce:
- Heat a sauce pot with the olive oil and add the sliced onion, chopped garlic, chopped parsley, chopped raisins and seasonings.
- Let the onions become slightly golden and the garlic become fragrant.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and stir. Add the wine, sugar and honey and continue to simmer on a gentle heat.
- Carefully add the meatballs and simmer on a gentle heat for at least 40 – 50 minutes or longer.
- Prepare the pasta as directed.
- Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, ground black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and grated Parmesan cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Greek
