Spicy Italian Meatballs

Dolly's Original Recipe

Ingredients

1 Lb. Ground Italian Sausage....your choice mild, sweet, or hot

2 Lbs. Good Angus Ground Chuck

6 Slices Italian Bread

1/2 Cup Buttermilk

2 Tbs. Self Rising or All Purpose Flour

1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 Medium onion chopped finely...separated: 6 TBS. onion to be browned. Remainder raw

6 cloves Garlic Minced

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil For browning

3 Large Eggs Beaten

1/4 tsp. Cracked Red Pepper separated

1/4 tsp. Black Pepper

1 tsp. Salt

2 Tbs. Chopped Fresh Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, Cilantro, or you may use 1 Tbs. dried Parsley

Put the olive oil into a large frying pan. Heat and Add the following: (6 TBS.) onions, garlic and 1/8 tsp. red pepper. Cook until lightly browned. Remove from heat to cool a little.

Take 1/4 cup buttermilk add to medium/small bowl. Add the Italian Bread that you pull apart to this then top with the other 1/4 cup buttermilk. Using hands squish this together until mixed thoroughly. The bread will soak up the buttermilk.

Whip the eggs in a small bowl

In large bowl add ground chuck, Italian sausage, (pull apart and mix together with your hands) Add:

raw and cooked onion, flour, bread mixture, beaten eggs, salt, black and remaining red pepper flakes, Cilantro, and Parmesan Cheese. Mix well with hands or wooden spoon.

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper for convenience and easier cleaning.

Use a 2 1/2 inch cookie scoop if you have one for uniform meatballs. It works great!

Shape your meatballs and place on pan to be ready for cooking.

Preheat large frying pan or electric frying pan with 1/8inch deep vegetable oil on Medium heat (I used the same one that I browned the onions in.)

**At this point you may want to cook only two or three meatballs to see what you may want to add to recipe. You may add pepper, more garlic or onion. It's to your personal taste and this is where you make it spicier to your liking!**

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and top with two layers of paper towels to drain your cooked meatballs.

Fill pan with meatballs and brown on all sides. Turning down heat if needed to prevent burning. Cook all sides. Drain and place on paper towel lined pan. Tent with aluminum foil to keep warm while cooking others.

Add the meatballs and 1 Tbs. oil used in cooking them to your favorite sauce/gravy and enjoy!

Makes approximately 33 meatballs