The food lab better home cooking through science ( PDFDrive ) 660

Kosher salt 1 cup buttermilk ¼ ounce 1 packet unflavored gelatin 4 slices high-quality white sandwich bread, crusts removed 2 teaspoons soy sauce ½ teaspoon Marmite 4 to 6 anchovy fillet

Kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk

¼ ounce (1 packet) unflavored gelatin

4 slices high-quality white sandwich bread, crusts

removed

2 teaspoons soy sauce

½ teaspoon Marmite

4 to 6 anchovy fillets, mashed to a paste with the back of a fork (about 1 tablespoon; reserve half the paste for the sauce)

2 large eggs

3 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated (about 1½ loosely packed cups)

6 medium cloves garlic, minced or grated on a

Microplane (about 2 tablespoons; reserve half the

garlic for the sauce)

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

For the Sauce

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, finely diced (about 2 cups)

Reserved anchovy paste and garlic from above

1½ teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Three 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes, crushed by hand or with a potato masher into rough ½-inch chunks

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving

1 To make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef and ground pork with 1 tablespoon salt Mix thoroughly with your hands, then set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes

2 Meanwhile, pour the buttermilk into a large bowl and

sprinkle the gelatin over it Allow to hydrate for 10 minutes Add the bread and allow to soak for 10 minutes, turning the bread occasionally until completely saturated

3 After the meat has rested, add the soy sauce, Marmite,

half of the anchovy paste, the eggs, cheese, half the garlic, and the parsley to the bowl Add the bread and buttermilk mixture and mix gently with your hands until well combined; do not knead excessively Pull off a teaspoon-sized portion of the mixture, place it on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave it on high power until cooked through, about 15 seconds Taste the cooked piece for seasoning, and add more salt to the meat mixture as desired

4 Using wet hands or a #40 scoop, form the meat mixture

into meatballs about 1½ inches in diameter (the balls should slightly overfill the scoop, about 3 tablespoons per meatball—you should get 28 to 32 balls), placing them on a large plate as you go Refrigerate

5 To make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering Add 4 raw meatballs and mash them against the bottom of the pot,