Serves:
About the Recipe
This meatball recipe (polpette in Italian) is a quick, simple and flavorful family classic that yields incredibly moist results. I’ve made countless batches, especially after church prepping for our Pronzo Sundays meal at 2 p.m. A highlight of my childhood was tasting a hot, freshly fried meatball from Nonna or mamma —a tradition I continue today for anyone that is in the kitchen. While many Sicilian variations exist, often with milk-soaked bread and incorporating different meats, this easy family recipe won’t disappoint.
Ingredients
½ cup Italian seasoned dried bread crumbs*
¼ cup water
1 egg
½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 large garlic clove, minced or 3/4 tsp. of garlic powder
¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, or 2 tsp. dried
1 tsp. kosher salt and 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, or 1 1/2 tsp. PGS (Pastagirl Seasoning)
1 pound 80/20 ground chuck roast
3 Tbs. olive oil
*For a recipe see: Sicilian Breaded Chicken Cutlets
Preparation
In a large bowl, add the bread crumbs, water, egg, cheese, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and ground chuck. With your hands mix everything together just until combined (it's important not to over mix the mixture or the meat will get tough). The mixture should be wet. Add a tablespoon of water if needed.
Dip hands in a bowl of cool water and gently shape into 2” balls.
Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs in batches and slightly brown them on all sides, about 3 minutes each side. With a slotted spoon, gently add them one at a time to a pot of tomato, marinara or meat sauce. Simmer the meatballs for 20-30 minutes.
Serve as an antipasto along with crusty Italian bread or on the side with your favorite pasta and sauce.
Oven Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Rub 2 Tbsp. olive oil on a baking sheet and arrange meatballs with about an inch between each one. Bake for 12-15 minutes until cooked through or internal temperature is 165 degrees.
You can make several batches of meatballs, bake and freeze until needed. Simply thaw the frozen meatballs in the refrigerator overnight before adding them to a pot of your favorite sauce.