Italian Meats and Poultry Recipes - Old-Fashioned Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 egg

• 3/4 cup soft bread crumbs (1 slice)

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion

• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley

• 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 pound lean ground beef

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Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl beat egg with a fork; stir in bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, onion, parsley, garlic, Italian seasoning or rosemary, salt, and pepper.

2. Add ground beef; mix well. Shape into 28 meatballs, each about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

3. Arrange meatballs in a 15x 10x 1-inch baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until done (160°F). * Drain off fat.

*Note: The internal color of a meatball is not a reliable doneness indicator. Beef meatballs cooked to 160°F are safe, regardless of color. To measure the doneness of a meatball, insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the meatball.

Test Kitchen Tip: To cook meatballs in a skillet, prepare as directed through step 1. In a large skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Cook meatballs, half at a time, in hot butter about 10 minutes or until done (160°F), * turning to brown evenly. Use a slotted spoon to remove meatballs from skillet.