Passover Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Here’s a timely post, for once: Passover! I thought I’d round up a few links: A Food Lover’s Guide to Passover and how to clean one’s kitchen for Passover (which is more thorough than many spring cleanings, and I love that). I was going to throw in another one with a funny Haggadah from 2010, but upon reading it again, it’s not that funny, so I’ll spare you.

It occured to me that I never got around to posting these Passover meatballs, even though I mentioned them before. So, the recipe IS in Second Helpings, Please!, but on page 208, in the Passover section (makes sense, right?). They’re very easy to make, they just need to simmer for a long time (about 2 hours total). We all love these meatballs! If you’re making them when it’s not Passover (or if you’re not celebrating Passover), you can probably just use breadcrumbs instead of seeking out matzo meal. My mother-in-law often serves these with rice, but I served them with carrots and chickpeas last time and with potatoes (recipe to come) and broccolini tonight.

2 lbs. minced meat
2 eggs
salt and pepper, to taste
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ cup water
3 Tbsp. matzo meal
20-oz. tin of tomato juice
1 cup ketchup
½ cup sugar
few grains sour salt (I use sea salt)

Combine meat, eggs, seasoning, water, and matzo meal and mix well. Form tiny balls. Combine remaining ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add meatballs. Cover and simmer for 1 ½ hours. Remove cover and simmer ½ hour longer.