I used to avoid veal because of the way the animals were raised. But now I buy my veal from a nearby farm in Little Compton, RI, where the animals are raised humanely. That makes for happier animals and incredibly flavorful meat...and no guilt about using it.
1 lb. ground veal
1 cup toasted breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons parsley
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
1 egg
extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. pasta, cooked firmer than al dente
2 cups veal bone broth or stock
salt and pepper for seasoning
2 tablespoons half-and-half
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup of frozen organic peas
Make the meatballs: Combine the veal, breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, garlic, onion and egg in a bowl, mixing the ingredients thoroughly. Don't over-mix.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Heat a tablespoon of the olive oil in an oven-proof pan, and form the meatballs one by one, placing them in the pan. Brown the meatballs on all sides over medium heat. Place the pan in the oven to cook the meatballs for 10 more minutes.
In a saucepan, heat the veal bone broth. Once the meatballs have cooked in the oven, transfer them to the pot of veal bone broth and cover with a lid, keeping the heat on low. If the broth doesn't cover the meatballs, turn them every once in a while to keep them moist on all sides. Cook the meatballs in the broth for about 30 minutes, then transfer them to a large sauté pan.
Turn the saucepan with the veal broth on high and reduce it to about 1/2 cup. Season it with salt and pepper.
In a large pot, cook the pasta to a bit firmer than al dente in well-salted water. Drain and set aside.
In the large sauce pan with the meatballs, add the butter and the half-and-half. Add the reduced veal broth, the pasta, and the peas.
Gently mix the ingredients in the pan until the peas have warmed through and the sauce clings to the pasta. Serve immediately.
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