Everyone has comfort food. Here’s mine: juicy meatballs done Italian American style, served with homemade tomato sauce or piled on top of a spaghetti heap.
I used to make a pot of meatballs when friends came over for dinner because it was cozy but not frumpy and everyone loved it. It was also very easy. I’d usually skip the pasta — one less thing to maneuver in my slight strip of a kitchen — and put out good bread instead to dunk in that tomato sauce pool. (It’s even better if it’s garlic bread. Here’s a deliciously no-frills recipe, and here’s the recipe to end all garlic bread recipes, which I once served as a main course.) That, plus a big salad: dinner!
Now I make meatballs and sauce just because, and in big batches, so I can put some away in the freezer for later. (Never, ever make a single batch of meatballs!) I’ve played the field with different recipes: versions that use only beef (as with Kay Chun’s recipe below), or pork and ricotta. I like great turkey meatballs, too, and I’ve dabbled in meatless meatballs as well.
What do you think? Email me anytime at dearemily@nytimes.com. And if you’re reading this on Halloween: Boo!
1. Meatballs
Kay Chun’s simple meatball recipe will serve you well. The meatballs are baked rather than fried, which is a good thing; the latter is too much time and mess. Use a combination of ground beef and pork for maximum succulence.
2. Mushroom Galbi
This vegan version of galbi also comes from Kay, who uses roasted mushrooms (!) instead of the grilled short ribs you usually see in the staple Korean dish. I can’t wait to make this.
3. One-Pot Chicken and Rice With Ginger
This easy recipe from Yasmin Fahr gives you hints of ginger, soy sauce and lime in each bite. It’s a little subtle by design; dial up the flavors as you cook, if you like to go bold, and serve it with extra soy sauce and lime.
4. Sheet-Pan Cod and Scallions With Cucumber Yogurt
I am a devotee of this recipe by Melissa Clark, mostly because of the combination of soy sauce and fish sauce she drizzles on the fish before it goes into the oven. It’s fabulous as written, but also delicious even if you just roast the fish and serve it with a splat of yogurt and sliced scallions. There’s strength in streamlining!
5. Crisp Gnocchi With Brussels Sprouts and Brown Butter
This Ali Slagle recipe has a following — five stars and over 16,000 reviews — and for good reason: It’s a pretty brilliant matchup, the crisped but tender brussels sprouts and chewy gnocchi. She brings it together with a honey butter sauce you could make in your sleep.
