Escarole with Meatballs

This was one of my dad's favorites!! :)

Heat oven to 350º.

To make meatballs, combine ingredients, mix together and form into 8-10  large meatballs:

1-1/2# ground round

1-1/2 cups cooked white rice

1/2 cup bread crumbs (unseasoned)

2 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Place on a greased baking sheet, flatten slightly.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until done (not browned). Drain on paper towels. Set aside.

In a large pot, add 1/3 cup olive oil and saute a large chopped onion & 8 cloves of minced garlic until softened. Add a 15 oz. can of chopped tomatoes, stir, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Wash, drain and coarsely chop a head of escarole (larger than a big head of lettuce).  The bunch I bought probably yielded 10-12 cups. Don't forget - this shrinks WAYYYY down as it cooks! Add the chard to the simmering tomatoes,  add 1-1/2 cups water and 1 teasp. salt.  Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally - for a half hour.

Carefully add the meat patties to the pot of chard one at a time. Spoon some of the chard over the meat. Check for seasonings and add more S&P if needed.  Cover and simmer on low for an hour until thickest parts of chard become tender.  Before serving,  stir in 1/2 cup of grated parmesan.