Meatballs in Spicy Tomato-Basil Sauce
- Makes4 servings
- Cook Time1 hour 10 minutes
- Active time plus cooling20 minutes active, plus chilling and standing time
- 5
Ground fennel seeds lend these meatballs a subtle licorice-like sweetness, making them reminiscent of Italian sausage. Use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to grind the whole seeds to a powder, or if you're able to find preground fennel seed at the store, use an equal amount. You can, of course, serve the meatballs and sauce over pasta, or you can tuck the meatballs into toasted sub rolls lined with slices of provolone cheese, spoon some sauce over the top and finish with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan or pecorino.
Don't use ground beef that's leaner than 85 percent or the meatballs will be dry and bland. When shaping the meat mixture, form it into firm, compact meatballs, not loosely packed orbs; this helps them hold together when pressure cooked. And don't forget to refrigerate the meatballs for at least 15 minutes before cooking, as this helps them retain their shape.
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