Meatballs and marinara, Montana-style

One of the greatest culinary gifts I’ve ever received is a cookbook featuring recipes drawn from the many cultures that concentrated in Butte decades ago. The “Butte Heritage Cookbook” was given to me by a former state senator from the Mining City. It’s not just a good read — it’s one of the great historical documents of our state. 

Most of us know that Butte had become quite the melting pot by the early 20th century, but the book’s diversity of recipes, reflecting Butte’s many assembled national backgrounds and ethnicities, is nothing short of staggering. 

One section of the book features Italian recipes. While Montana wasn’t a major destination for expatriates from Italy, some pockets of the state did see a mini-influx from southern Europe. Butte’s own “Little Italy” was once called Meaderville. You won’t find it on modern maps because it was razed in the 1950s to make way for open-pit mining, but its legacy is still alive. 

The book’s Italian recipes are classics: lasagna, minestrone, chicken cacciatore and much more. But I noticed the glaring omission of a necessary Italian staple — there’s no recipe for meatballs. So I’m making my own little contribution to the memory of Butte’s Little Italy with this Meaderville meatball and marinara recipe. 

The best meatballs are made with multiple meats, usually a trio of beef, pork and veal. Veal isn’t the easiest ingredient to find, so I use half beef and half pork. The different proteins help balance the meatballs’ flavor and texture. You can earn bonus Montana points by adding game meat to the mix. Just make sure to get sufficient fat in your grind. No one likes dry meatballs. 

Grinding the meat fresh with a stand mixer always produces a better texture, and the rest of the ingredients have a better chance of getting incorporated more consistently, but you can easily make this recipe even if you don’t have a grinder. Whether you grind your own or use packaged meat, avoid mixing the meatballs too much. Overworked and overpacked meatballs can turn dense and tough. 

The best marinara is a celebration of a few simple ingredients. Start with the best-quality canned tomatoes you can find and simmer them with a bit of olive oil and crushed garlic. The rest is just patience. This combination of bright, sweet sauce and savory meatballs will never be wiped off my kitchen’s map. 

MEATBALL INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound freshly ground pork
1/2 pound freshly ground beef
2 tbsp whole milk
2 tbsp panko
1 egg
2 tsp fresh chopped Italian parsley
2 tbsp finely grated parmesan
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1 large clove (or two small cloves) finely chopped garlic 
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp fennel seed

MARINARA INGREDIENTS

28 oz. canned plum tomatoes in sauce
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 large clove (or two small cloves) garlic, peeled and crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
optional: fresh basil

First make the marinara. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Peel the garlic and smash it with the flat side of a knife. Pull the saucepan off the heat and add the garlic, swirling the oil carefully to flavor it. Remove the garlic from the pan before it browns and reserve it. Let the oil mostly cool before you add the canned tomatoes. 

Bring the tomatoes to a simmer over medium heat and add the garlic back in with the salt. Simmer on low heat for half an hour, stirring occasionally, then blend the tomatoes with a hand blender. If you’re adding fresh basil, blend in a few leaves just before serving. 

Now for the meatballs. Combine the panko and the milk to hydrate in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, place the beef, pork, egg, parsley, parmesan, salt, pepper, chopped garlic, red pepper flakes and fennel seed. Once the panko is hydrated, add that to the larger bowl as well. Thoroughly combine all ingredients, either with your hands (the best way) or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Don’t overmix! 

Form 2-ounce meatballs, slightly larger than golf balls. You should get about 9 or 10 meatballs from this recipe. Let them sit in the fridge for half an hour. In a sauté pan on medium heat, sauté the meatballs in a bit of olive oil, rotating occasionally to brown them evenly. Once they’re browned, drop the meatballs into the marinara and simmer for 5 minutes until they’re cooked through. 

Serve with your favorite pasta, or as an appetizer with garlic toast.