There's definitely something intimating about making meatballs – perhaps it's all the hand-rolling? Or the time commitment? But honestly, they're really not as daunting as they seem. Here's a basic recipe for traditional Italian meatballs. It's quite simple, and once you get the hang of it, you can start to make the recipe your own by adding different ingredients, such as pine nuts or even raisins. Happy rolling!
Traditional Italian Meatballs
Ingredients for 16 meatballs
1 lb. minced veal
½ lb. minced beef
4 oz. sausage
3 oz. stale bread crumbs
2 oz. Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
1 large egg
½ cup milk
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
nutmeg (optional)
extra-virgin olive oil
Note: If you prefer leaner meatballs, you can replace the sausage with ground pork.
Make a lengthwise cut in the sausage casing and discard it. Break up the sausage and mix it with ground veal and beef.
Soak the breadcrumbs in milk and wring them out well, squeezing out as much excess liquid as possible. Add 1 egg, the milk-soaked breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, and the grated Parmigiano. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Mix the ingredients well with your hands until you have a smooth mixture. Shape one meatball at a time between your palms, weighing about 2 oz.
Flour the meatballs. Heat 5 Tbsp. oil in a frying pan and brown the meatballs for 2-3 minutes, turning regularly. Lower the heat and cook for another 5-6 minutes.