Mario Batali

Polpette alla Napoletana (Neapolitan Meatballs)  DN changes in blue

Place a few meatballs between pieces of lightly browned bread and pile them with mozzarella, basil and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Place it under the broiler for two minutes until the cheese is melted and just bubbling.

3 cups day-old bread cut into 1/4 inch cubes, or 1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs

1 1/4 pounds ground beef (choice quality 85/15 mix)

3 eggs, beaten

5 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup grated pecorino cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley

1/4 cup pine nuts, baked for 8 minutes in a 400 F oven

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 1/2 cups basic tomato sauce (see recipe below)

In a shallow bowl, soak the bread cubes in water to cover for a minute or two. Drain the bread cubes and squeeze with your fingers to press out excess moisture.

In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes (or crumbs), beef, sausage, eggs, garlic, pecorino, parsley, toasted pine nuts, basil, oregano, salt and pepper, and mix with your hands to incorporate. With wet hands, form the mixture into 15-20 meatballs, each smaller than a tennis ball but larger than a golf ball, or use a scale and make them 1 3/4 ounces.

In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until almost smoking. Add the meat balls and, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan, cook until deep golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. This version does not cook/brown the balls in advance, which results in a more tender ball that's infused with more tomato sauce flavor.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, cut in 1/4 inch dice

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried

1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded

2 (28-ounce) cans high quality whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved