Escarole with meatballs

This was one of my dad's favorites and I'd see it on the stove simmering quite often!

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.