October is the month when our palates start to lean more towards nourishing, warming foods in anticipation of the colder season ahead. It’s also the month when we get in the mood to create a little fun and a lot more spookiness.
This recipe combines all of the aforementioned qualities, and is sure to delight children and the young at heart of all ages. Add angel hair pasta or spaghetti to the spread to serve up the monster’s hair. Butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese are the perfect way to adorn the coiffure.
Use a food processor for the onion, garlic and parsley to make this recipe even faster.
Spooky Monster Eyeballs With Meat Sauce
2 eggs
½ cup whole milk
½ lb ground pork
½ lb ground lamb
1 lb ground beef
1 white onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups Italian flat leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped
1 cup Italian-flavored bread crumbs
1 tsp himalayan salt
Sauce
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 14-oz cans of whole peeled tomatoes
1 tsp himalayan salt
½ cup red wine
1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and milk together; add the remaining ingredients and mix by hand. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll the mixture into individual balls, approximately 1.5 inches in diameter. Place the meatballs on a large baking sheet with sides, (spacing doesn’t matter), and cook about 20 minutes or until brown. At this point, the meatballs are cooked, and can be safely consumed, or cooked further in a sauce.
To make the sauce, gently crush the tomatoes with your hands; set aside. In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and garlic, stir for a moment then immediately add the tomatoes and salt. (Do not brown garlic or sauce will taste burned.) Bring the sauce to a boil. Add the wine and the meatballs, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, add the basil, and let meatballs rest for one hour or overnight, to allow the flavors to develop more strongly.