Meatballs with Tomato Ragu and Creamy Polenta

Ingredients

• 2 ounces bacon thick minced
• 1 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 1 cup breadcrumbs fresh soft
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 1 large carrots coarsely chopped
• 2 rib celery coarsely chopped
• 1 cup cooking wine dry red
• 1 large eggs lightly beaten
• 0.3 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves fresh finely chopped
• 1 oz basil fresh
• 1 tablespoon rosemary fresh minced
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves fresh minced
• 2  garlic cloves 
• 2  garlic cloves minced
• 1 pound ground pork 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1.3 teaspoons kosher salt 
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt 
• 2 teaspoons juice of lemon fresh
• 0.5 teaspoon lemon zest loosely packed
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest 
• 8 servings meatballs 
• 0.3 cup milk 
• 0.3 cup olive oil 
• 0.3 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
• 0.5 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
• 56 oz plum tomatoes whole canned
• 2 cups polenta uncooked
• 8 servings polenta 
• 0.3 tsp pepper dried red crushed
• 2 cups vegetable broth 
• 1 cup whipping cream 
• 1 large onion yellow coarsely chopped
• 8 servings ragu 
• 8 servings ragu 

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• whisk
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Prepare Meatballs: Preheat oven to 40
2. Combine first 2 ingredients in a bowl; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in egg and next 11 ingredients until blended.
3. Add pork; combine using your hands. (Do not overmix.) Shape into 36 (1-inch) balls. Lightly grease a jelly-roll pan with cooking spray.
4. Place meatballs in pan.
5. Bake 10 minutes.
6. Prepare Ragu: Process onion and next 3 ingredients in a food processor 20 seconds or until finely chopped; transfer to a bowl. Process tomatoes, in batches, until smooth.
7. Saut onion mixture in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat 17 to 20 minutes or until tender.
8. Add wine and 1/4 tsp. salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in broth, basil, tomatoes, and remaining 3/4 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 35 minutes; add meatballs, and cook 10 minutes. Discard basil. Stir in lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste.
9. Prepare Polenta: Bring 8 cups water and 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat; gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes or until creamy.
10. Remove from heat; stir in cream, cheese, and butter.
11. Add salt and pepper to taste.
12. Serve immediately with ragu.