Basic Meatballs

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Watch as Chef Michael Giletto serves up a mouthful of meatballs with spaghetti. It's so good you'll be asking for seconds!

INGREDIENTS:
5 thick slices day-old or toasted Italian bread
1/2 bulb garlic
1/4 bunch fresh parsley
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup fresh-grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
fresh-cracked black pepper

TOOLS:
large mixing bowl
standard baking pan or skillet

REMEMBER THAT IT’S IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS COOK UNDER ADULT SUPERVISION. SOMETIMES WE USE OBJECTS THAT COULD BE HARMFUL, LIKE A KNIFE, SO DON’T EVER ATTEMPT TO DO THESE RECIPES ALONE.

Soak the bread in water for 1 minute. Thoroughly squeeze out all the liquid. Peel and mince the garlic. Clean and chop the parsley.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients, and form the mixture into balls about 2 to 3 inches in size.
Bake or fry the meatballs: To bake, preheat oven to 375°. Place the meatballs in a lightly greased baking pan, and cover. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, and brown for 5 to 10 minutes. To fry, heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil to medium temperature in skillet. Fry for 30 minutes uncovered and stirring occasionally, until cooked through.
Transfer the meatballs to paper towels to drain. Serve the meatballs plain, with sauce or over pasta.