Serves 6-8

Meatballs

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil
1 lb ground beef
1 lb spicy Italian sausage, ground
1 bulb garlic, chopped fine (2 tablespoons reserved for sauce)
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped fine (2 tablespoons reserved for sauce)
½ cup fresh basil, chopped fine (2 tablespoons reserved for sauce)
½ cup fresh marjoram, chopped fine (2 tablespoons reserved for sauce)
½ cup fresh oregano, chopped fine (2 tablespoons reserved for sauce)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon cracked pepper
1-3 teaspoons red chili flakes (for spicier meatballs use 3 teaspoons)
½ cup pine nuts, chopped fine
½ cup currants
½ cup Kashi Whole Grain Nuggets or Grape Nuts (substitute with breadcrumbs)
2 eggs, beaten

Sauce

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped fine (reserved from above)
2 tablespoons each fresh parsley, basil, marjoram, and oregano, chopped fine (reserved from above)
2 lbs plum tomatoes, diced fine
½ cup red wine
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon cracked pepper

PREPARATION

To make the meatballs, mix ground beef and ground sausage with garlic, fresh herbs, salt, pepper and chili flakes. Use fingers to mix well and squish ingredients together. Make sure the mixture is well blended. Add the chopped pine nuts, Kashi cereal and the currants and again mix very well using fingers. Add the beaten eggs and mix until all ingredients are well combined and moistened by the eggs. The eggs should cause the mixture to bind and stick together.

Form mixture into about 1 to 1¼ inch balls and set aside.

In a large, deep heavy bottom pan heat a few tablespoons of olive oil to a high heat. Sauté meatballs in batches by rolling them around on all sides until well browned. Then, transfer them to another plate with paper towels to absorb any grease.

After all the meatballs are cooked, lower the temperature of the same pan and add another tablespoon of olive oil if necessary. Sauté the garlic until translucent, about 1-2 minutes. Add the fresh herbs and tomatoes, stirring well so to loosen the meatball scraps from the bottom of the pan. Add the red wine and the salt and pepper, again stirring to deglaze the pan. Bring to a low boil for about five minutes. Turn the burner on low and add the meatballs to the sauce stirring gently until the meatballs are covered in the tomato mixture. Cook on low temperature for approximately 30 minutes, making sure you stir gently every few minutes being careful not to break apart the meatballs.

Serve over polenta and pasta with freshly grated parmesan cheese!

The alternative to sautéing meatballs is to bake them in a 375° oven for approximately 30 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Follow the same directions as above for the sauce.