Meatballs in Fire Truck Sweet Pepper Sauce

Ingredients:

• 450 g of ground beef
• 110 g chopped pepperoni sausage
• 0.5 tbsp. panko breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 can (400 g) roasted red bell peppers or piquillo peppers, drained
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups lightly salted chicken broth

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C and grease a baking sheet with olive oil.
2. In a food processor, pulse the pepperoni until finely chopped; transfer to a medium bowl (do not wash the food processor). Add the ground beef, panko, egg, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper to the bowl; mix with your hands until evenly distributed. Form into 20 golf-ball-sized balls and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake, turning halfway through, until golden brown, about 12 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place the roasted peppers and tomato paste in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a large skillet with the chicken broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Transfer the meatballs to the sauce and continue simmering, stirring gently to coat them, until tender, about 10 more minutes. Transfer the meatballs to bowls and serve.