Meatballs
This recipe is heavily inspired by “Italian American” by Angie Rito.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork or veal
- 1 baguette
- 1 yellow onion
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 bunch parsley
- 3/4 cup of half & half or milk
- 1 cup of parmesan reggiano
- 1 cup of pecornio toscano (if not, you can sub pecorino romano)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 eggs
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder
Instructions:
Chop the onions and garlic and set aside. These, along with the picked parsley, can be chopped days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Strip the white part of the bread off a baguette with a fork and add it to a bowl with the half & half. Let sit for 15 minutes, then squeeze the bread to remove as much liquid as possible—this soaked bread (panade) can also be prepared a few hours early.
Shred all the cheese and put it in a bowl. Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk. Add the ground meat to a large mixing bowl and add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and any of your optional flavor boosters (Worcestershire, red pepper flakes, lemon zest).
Sauté the onions and carmelize them for about 10 minutes. Add the garlic after 8 minutes. Season the onions with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Once the onions are done, let them cool and then add them to the meat bowl. Add the cheese, parsley, bread and eggs. Mix everything for a while until it’s all combined.
Preheat the oven at 425 degrees convection.
Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, make 24-30 balls. Put them on a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Be very liberal with the olive oil, you want a brown crust on them.
Put the sheet pan in the middle of the oven for 15-17 minutes. Halfway through, take them out and flip them. Back in for 15-17 minutes.
Bring them out and let them cool for 10 minutes. Add to red sauce, a hoagie roll, or your favorite salad as a topper. Enjoy!
Variation: Chicken & Pistachio Meatballs
For a lighter and equally delicious spin, try making these meatballs with ground chicken and pistachios:
- Substitute the ground beef and pork/veal with 2 lbs of ground chicken (preferably thigh for juiciness).
- Reduce the amount of cheese by about 1/4 cup, as chicken is milder.
- Replace the parmesan and pecorino with just parmesan, or keep as is for more flavor.
- Roughly chop 1/2 cup of shelled pistachios and mix them into the meatball mixture along with the other ingredients.
- Optionally, add a bit of lemon zest and fresh mint for brightness.
Continue with the recipe as instructed. Chicken may take slightly less time to cook, so check for doneness after 12-15 minutes per side.
Serve with a simple lemony yogurt sauce or in your favorite salad for a Mediterranean twist!