Meatballs to Make Nonna Proud

Savory meets sweet in this satisfying spin on the perennial favorite: meatballs with red sauce. Instead of the typical ratio of equal parts beef, veal, and pork, this recipe from Jordan Frosolone amps things up with homemade pork sausage to yield these tender, juicy, and deeply fragrant polpette that will be served at his upcoming Ferragosto-themed Beard House dinner. Diced pork shoulder and fat back are ground with bay leaves, star anise, fennel and coriander seeds, and a combination of white and black peppercorns until the meat is brimming with this heady spice mélange. Quickly pan-fried then slowly simmered in a sweet-and-spicy red pepper and tomato sauce, the meatballs are finished with freshly grated Caciocavallo cheese and a drizzle of Sicilian honey to bring out the sweetness of the pepper sauce. Simmer a pot of this Italian staple on your stove and you'll be sure to make any nonna proud.

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Hilary Deutsch is editorial assistant at the James Beard Foundation. Find her on Instagram.