Spanish Meatballs with Roasted Vegetable Sauce

Ingredients

For the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:

2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 red jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded
5 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

For the Meatballs:

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1 egg
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Arrange peppers and garlic in single layer on rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with olive oil and stir or toss with hands until vegetables are coated in oil. Roast 20 minutes or until softened and browned. Let cool 5 minutes.
2. While vegetables are roasting, in large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on broiler pan. Turn oven to broil. Broil meatballs 4 to 5 inches from heat 10 minutes, turning once, until browned and internal temperature reaches 160°F.
3. In bowl of food processor, blend roasted vegetables with paprika, tomato paste, sugar, salt and lemon juice; add 1 to 2 teaspoons water for a slightly thinner sauce, if desired. Keep warm.
4. Serve each meatball with about 1 teaspoon sauce, or place meatballs and sauce in serving dish.