Spanish Style Albondigas in a Sunny Mediterranean Sauce

Ingredients

• 2/3 pound ground beef
• 1/3 pound ground pork
• 2 tablespoons minced green onion
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 3 1/2 ounces fresh white bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 1/2 ounces pancetta, chopped
• 3 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced carrot
• 2 tablespoons minced celery
• 2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 grinds ground black pepper
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato puree
• 1 (28 ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed

Directions

Mix ground beef, ground pork, green onion, oregano, parsley, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl. Slowly add and mix breadcrumbs into meat mixture to desired consistency. Form mixture into balls, roll them in remaining bread crumbs to coat, and arrange onto a shallow tray. Cover meatballs with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir pancetta in the hot oil until browned, about 4 minutes. Add onion and garlic to the pancetta; continue to cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir carrot, celery, and red bell pepper into the pancetta mixture; cook until the carrot softens slightly, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle basil, oregano, coriander, and black pepper over pancetta mixture; stir to season evenly.

Pour wine over the pancetta mixture. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid reduces by about half.

Quickly stir tomato puree into pancetta mixture; add chopped tomatoes. Cook and stir the mixture until the tomatoes begin to break down into a sauce, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the sauce thickens, 60 to 90 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over low heat. Cook and stir meatballs in batches in hot oil until evenly browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes; drain on a plate lined with paper towel.

Gently drop meatballs into the simmering sauce; cook together until meatballs are heated through, about 10 minutes.