The Challenges of Replicating a Family Recipe

There’s nothing like a homemade family meal to make you feel warm and special. In my family, my mother and my grandmother are known for their sweet and sour meatballs – a recipe my mom first picked up from my dad’s cousin, also known for her cooking skills.

When I was growing up, we looked forward to these mouthwatering meatballs at large family dinners with my uncle, aunt, and cousins. I was always so proud when I had the chance to help my mom and grandmom make them from scratch. The thing about these storied family dishes is that they never disappoint – maybe because they’re made with so much love by people I love dearly.

So would my family’s famed sweet and sour meatballs be as tasty if I made them myself? I decided to see if I could replicate all their brilliance in the kitchen. I didn’t want to mess up so I made my mom write down every single item and instruction before I got started. Line by line I followed her recipe, tasting the mixture as I went. The result: the meatballs were tender; the sweet-and-sour tomato sauce sublime.

I only wish my grandmother were here. She would have been proud!

The Recipe

2 ½ pounds of 93 percent lean ground turkey

2 very large onions

2 eggs

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

¾ cup sugar

2 lemons

1 can tomato paste

1 can crushed tomatoes

Directions:

Chop 1 large onion and cover bottom of pot.

Mix eggs with turkey.

Chop 1 large onion and mix with turkey.

Mix in 1 cup Italian bread crumbs.

Roll into meatballs. Place meatballs over chopped onions in the bottom of the pot.

Pour hot boiling water over and cover to top of meatballs.

Let cool for 1 hour.

Then add 1 can of crushed tomatoes and 1 can of tomato paste.

Cook 45 minutes, and then turn off the fire.

Add sugar and lemon.

Mix and let sit for ½ hour to 1 hour.

Serve with or pour over rice.