When in Milan, Mondeghili meatballs are a must-eat. And one of the best places to savor them is Trattoria Masuelli San Marco. Since its 1921 opening, the restaurant has always stayed true to itself – white tablecloths, wooden chairs, and boiserie paneling. Over the last century, the restaurant has garnered several international awards and praise from writers, gourmands, and food historians. Today Max Masuelli – grandson of the founders – continues the age-old family culinary tradition via creative contemporary dishes firmly anchored in the past. Here patrons can enjoy the Milanese cotoletta – strictly served on the bone, risotto alla milanese, polenta, fried cow brains, and even the classic cassoeula, a winter pork and cabbage stew, and, of course, mondeghili meatballs.
From the past to the present
Mondeghili meatballs are made with leftover cooked meat, such as braised or boiled beef, mixed with stale bread and anything other suitable ingredients on hand. They're breaded, then sautéed in butter on the stove, slightly flattened like small burgers.
Today, mondeghili usually contain fresh meat, but the recipe never loses its soul. "Obviously, these ingredients can be replaced with what you have in the fridge right now or using other ingredients that are leftover, such as cotechino, boiled meat, cold cuts..." Just use your imagination!
Mondeghili Meatballs Recipe from Trattoria Masuelli
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 celery stalks
2 carrots
1 onion
10 oz. boiled veal or other meat
½ cup white wine,
¼ cup breadcrumbs
alt and pepper,
nutmeg,
4 oz. salami
4 oz. pork sausage
4 Tsp. Parmigiano, graded
2 oz spinach or cabbage
2 large eggs
Breadcrumbs and flour for the breading, Oil for frying
Method:
Wash and chop celery, carrots, and onion. Sauté with a little oil in a pan on the stove. Add the meat and continue to brown. Smoke with white wine and add stock to cover. Cook for at least 2 hours. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a saucepan, add the sausage (cleaned and cut into small pieces), salami, and spinach or cabbage, continuing to cook until the sausage is browned on all sides.
Blend everything together until smooth. Add the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, and nutmeg to taste.
Once the mixture is ready, form balls of about 1½ oz each. Bread with eggs, flour, and breadcrumbs.
Fry the mondeghili meatballs in plenty of oil for 5 minutes at 350ºF.