I use:
Ground beef and ground pork (mix)
I egg beaten w/ a little water
Italian breadcrumbs (plain)- one can grate a stale Italian bread loaf, if desired.
Dried parsley or fresh Italian parsley, chopped fine
Garlic salt (to taste) or dehydrated, chopped garlic, then salt.
Grated hard Italian cheese, such as: Parmesan, Grana Padano, Asiago. ( I love Romano, but not in this recipe)
I mix my meat and egg in a large bowl with my hands, then sprinkle each remaining ingredient in turn across the raw meat to cover. I mix them in one ingredient at a time.
I do not measure. Experience will tell you how much of each you'd like to use.
I wet my hands, form each meatball (small ones) and drop them raw into my pot of red sauce (that is cooking)
I do not stir the pot, but give it a shake or two now and then.
I skim the sauce, or refrigerate it overnight to lift the fat off before serving.
I also make these meatballs for my Italian wedding soup. In that case, I form them very small, spoon sized.... and sometimes (scantly) add coarse ground black pepper to the mix.
One of my many 'adopted' Italian Grandmas taught me this method. Tender, flavorful meatballs every time.
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