Grandma'S Italian Meatballs: Quick, Easy, Deliziose!

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup pignoli nut
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine
• anchovy, chopped (1 fillet) (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients (except the olive oil and wine) in a large mixing bowl. Mix well.
2. To make the meatballs: With damp hands, take a portion of the ground beef mixture and roll between palms to form a 1-inch round ball that is firmly packed. Repeat. Cook's Tip: If the ground beef mixture becomes too dry for the meatballs to properly stick together, add a sprinkle of water to the mixture as needed.
3. Cook the meatballs one of two (2) ways:
4. a. Grandma's way was to drop the hand rolled meatballs into boiling hot tomato sauce during the last 20-30 minutes of the sauce's cooking time.
5. b. Another popular method in our family is to fry the meatballs. Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over a medium-high flame. Add the meatballs, but do not over-crowd the skillet - Cook in a single layer. Cook for 10 or so minutes. As meatballs are finishing, add a little bit of red wine to de-glazethe skillet. Cook's Tip: Brown well on bottoms before turning, or meatballs will break apart. DO NOT OVERCOOK.
6. DELICIOUS VARIATION TO THIS RECIPE: Add one (1) chopped anchovie to the above-described ground beef mixture. Reduce your salt to a 1/4 teaspoon.

ground beef, flatleaf, fresh basil, parmesan cheese, raisins, pignoli nut, kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, red pepper, extra virgin olive oil, red wine, anchovy

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/grandmas-italian-meatballs-quick-easy-deliziose-341972 (may not work)