Italian Style Meatballs
I know I talk about it all the time but I still find that many of my loyal ones find it difficult to get their crowns around the concept of Combination Steam in its truest sense. I think this is partly because before Combi-Steam (or Convection Steam) ovens there were just “Steam Ovens”. Now Steam Ovens could only cook using Steam. They had no convection, fan forced or Hot Air capabilities which meant that all your could cook in them were things that came out moist and soft. You were unable to brown or crisp anything.
In a Combi-Steam we are still lucky enough to have our Steam function that will allow us to achieve that soft and moist result (think steamed fish, steamed veggies and dumplings) but we also have Fan Forced heat. The Fan Forced heat is what gives us the higher temperatures and allows us to get the browning and the crunch. In the best Combi-Steam ovens, you can use that Fan Forced (or convection heat) alone to do your normal baking and roasting OR (and here’s where the real magic happens) mix it with the Steam to achieve a great balance between moisture AND browning. Mixing the Steam and the Fan Forced heat together is what we call a Combination Steam function (or Hot Air+Steaming in my most loved brand). Does that make sense?
There are many types of foods that naturally lend themselves to being cooking with that combination of Steam (for moisture) and Fan Forced or Convection heat (for browning, crisping and higher temperatures). Meatballs braised in a tomato sauce is one of them.
My Italian Style Meatballs are baked in a gorgeous tomato sauce that becomes thick and rich and are a meal in themselves. They are perfect served on top of some al dente spaghetti or fettuccine, alongside some mashed potato or even with rice. I often whip up a salad to go with them but veggies would work too, especially in the winter time.
This dish is a great family tummy pleaser and I think most younger diners will also enjoy these. I also find they freeze well, so feel free to whip up two batches and cook them in separate dishes - one to eat for dinner and one to pop away in the freezer for a frantic weeknight in the future!
Meatballs away!
Italian Style Meatballs
(makes around 24 meatballs)
Ingredients:
Meatballs -
250g pork mince*
250g beef mince* (or veal)
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp dried oregano
½ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
¼ cup grated parmesan
½ cup breadcrumbs (supermarket bought are fine!)*
1 egg
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
s&p
Sauce -
700g jar of pasatta (tomato sauce)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 onion (diced)
1 large carrot (grated)
2 sticks celery (diced)
1 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
½ bunch of fresh basil and extra parmesan for serving if desired
Method:
Combine the minces, mustard, oregano, parsley, parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg and balsamic in a large mixing bowl. Season very well with s&p. Mix well until completely combined and sticky.
Using clean damp hands*, shape the mince mixture into golf ball sized meatballs and set aside.
Place the garlic, onion, carrot and celery into a large flat bottomed baking dish. Add the passata, brown sugar and balsamic and stir to combine well. Season well with s&p.
Place the meatballs into the sauce mixture. They should be partly submersed in the sauce and partly exposed. (This is perfect for braising so you get lovely browned tops!)
Place a rack shelf into the middle of your Combi-Steam. Place the dish onto the rack and close the door. (The oven is cool or cold here - no preheating required!)
Select your Combination Steam function (or Hot Air+Steaming). Set the temperature to 200°C (for variable steam select 20-30%).
Cook for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 140°C and continue to cook for a further 30 minutes (if using variable steam reduce the steam to 10%). or until sauce looks thickened, is a rich red colour and is bubbling.
Remove from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes before serving.
Kitchen Notes:
*add a splosh of good red wine to the sauce if you want to make it a little more adult and fancy!
*never use lean mince when making meatballs - we want the flavour and the moisture of some fat - regular or butcher minced all the way!
*use some GF breadcrumbs or stale GF bread whizzed up in the food processor to make this a GF meal.
In a V-ZUG or Wolf Combi-Steam these can be cooked using the wonderful BakeOMatic - Braising Meat option which will automatically set the cooking time, temperature and control the moisture levels. Simply place the prepared dish into the Combi-Steam for Step 5. Select BakeOMatic. Select Braising Meat. Select Medium Browned. Press Start. (You can also set an End Time if you want to have it ready later in the day!)
These are a delicious staple that everyone should have up their sleeve. Feel free to take this recipe and give it your own royal touch but experimenting with different types of meats, seasonings and flavours. A little red wine is quite nice in the sauce too if you want to make a more adult version!
Happy Combi-Steaming!
Yours in the kitchen,
The CSQ x