Veal parmigiana is an Italian-American invention. You’d be hard pressed to find it on a menu in Italy. But we love it. This meatball version is easy to make and ideal to serve at a buffet dinner. All you need is a tossed salad and some crusty garlic bread.
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg
2 tablespoons whole milk
3 pieces white sandwich bread
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
11/4 pounds ground veal
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups Herbed Tomato Sauce or purchased marinara sauce
2 cups grated whole milk mozzarella
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Vegetable oil spray
1. Preheat the oven broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil, and spray the foil with vegetable oil spray.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until onion is translucent. While vegetables cook, combine egg and milk in a mixing bowl, and whisk until smooth. Break bread into tiny pieces and add to mixing bowl along with parsley, and mix well.
3. Add onion mixture and veal, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well again. Make mixture into 11/2-inch meatballs, and arrange meatballs on the prepared pan. Spray tops of meatballs with vegetable oil spray.
4. Broil meatballs 6 inches from the broiler element, turning them with tongs to brown all sides. While meatballs brown, heat Herbed Tomato Sauce in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove meatballs from the baking pan with a slotted spoon, and add meatballs to sauce. Bring to a boil, and simmer meatballs, covered, over low heat, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, for 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and reheat the oven broiler.
6. Transfer meatballs and sauce to a 9 × 13-inch baking pan, and sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan over meatballs. Broil 6 inches from the broiler element for 2 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and browned. Serve immediately.
Note: The veal mixture can be prepared up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Also, the dish can be cooked up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat in a 350°F oven, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot.