Italian-style Veal Meatballs

Recipe courtesy of The Beef Checkoff.

Recipe Ingredients:

Sauce:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 (14.5 to 16-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Veal Meatballs:
1 pound ground veal
1 cup soft breadcrumbs
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Cooking Directions:

1. Prepare Sauce: In 2 1/2-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir 2 minutes or until onion is crisp-tender. Add tomatoes, breaking up with spoon; stir in tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, sugar and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; keep warm.
2. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
3. For Veal Meatballs: Combine ground veal, bread crumbs, egg, onion, parsley, salt, garlic and pepper, mixing lightly but thoroughly. (Mixture will be moist.) Shape into 12 meatballs; arrange in greased 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan. Bake in 350°F (175°C) oven 20 minutes or until centers are no longer pink, turning once.
4. Stir the 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese into sauce. Arrange 3 meatballs on each of 4 individual plates; top with equal amounts of sauce. Sprinkle with cheese, as desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/4 of recipe): Calories: 386; Total Fat: 13g; Cholesterol: 208mg; Total Carbs: 29g; Protein: 37g; Sodium: 1022mg.

Recipe and photograph courtesy of The Beef Checkoff.