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Cook like the Pros: Coronato's Braised Meatballs​

For this installment of our continuing chefs series on WRAL.com, we are going into the kitchen with Chef Teddy Diggs from Coronato in Carrboro!

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By
Kathy Hanrahan, Out
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CARRBORO, N.C. — For this installment of our continuing chefs series on WRAL.com, we are going into the kitchen with Chef Teddy Diggs from Coronato in Carrboro!

Coronato’s Braised Meatballs (Yields: 4-6 portions)

Ingredients:
  • Ground chicken, pork, beef, veal, and/or lamb 2 pounds
  • Eggs, whole; 2 each
  • Milk, whole; ¾ cup
  • Breadcrumb; 1 ½ cups
  • Salt; 1 Tablespoons
  • Black Pepper, fresh course ground; 1 teaspoon
  • Extra Virgin Olive oil, ¼ cup plus
  • Crushed red chilies; 1 ½ teaspoon
  • Onion, Spanish, small diced; 1 each
  • Celery, small diced; 2 ribs
  • Carrot, large, small diced; 1
  • Garlic, minced; 2 cloves
  • Rosemary, fresh; 1 whole sprig
  • Thyme, Fresh; 2 whole sprigs
  • Tomato Sauce; As needed
  • Basil, a few leaves
Directions:

Place ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan over a medium heat. Once the oil has come to temperature add the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, rosemary and 1 Tablespoon of the salt. Sauté the ingredients, stirring frequently so that the vegetables do not brown. After, about 10 minutes the vegetables will have become soft and will smell delicious. Add chili flakes and black pepper to toast. Cook for about 1 more minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the vegetables to cool down in the pan. Remove the thyme and rosemary sprigs.

In a large bowl combine the milk, eggs, breadcrumb and the remaining salt. Add the ground meat(s) and cooled vegetable mixture and combine with your hands until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Cover the meatball mixture and place in the refrigerator until chilled, at least one hour.

Roll the meat mixture into desired ball size. We use a golf ball size at Coronato

Place ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil in a large pot and place over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, sear the meatballs in batches until they are golden brown. Once all of the meatballs have been seared, put them all back in the pot and add the tomato sauce. Add the basil and enough water to cover the meatballs. Cover the pot and simmer the meatballs over low heat for 30 minutes. Allot the meatballs to cool in the sauce before reheating and serving.

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