Emily Nathans Marrow Balls Food

PRESTO MEATBALLS AND MARINARA

Steps:

• For the meatballs: Put the bread in a small bowl and add just enough milk to cover. Let soak for 5 minutes.
• Add the cheese, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, egg and soaked bread to a large bowl and mix lightly with your hands. Add the meat and gently mix; do not overwork. Form the mixture into balls and place on a baking sheet.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a healthy drizzle of olive oil. Working in batches, fry the meatballs in the skillet until all sides are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Set aside.
• For the marinara sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the Italian seasoning and onions and sweat the onions until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add the wine to the pan to degalze. Then add the tomatoes and meatballs, bring to a simmer and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the bucatini according to the package directions, reserving 1 cup pasta water before draining.
• If your sauce gets too thick, add some of the starchy pasta water to thin it out. Remove the sauce from the heat, season with salt and pepper and garnish with fresh basil. Finish with grated cheese over the top and serve.

EMILY NATHAN'S MARROW BALLS

Steps:

• To remove the marrow from the bones, place them on a paper towel or plate in a microwave for 40 seconds. Scrape the bone with a spoon or a table knife and reserve 4 tablespoons of the marrow.
• In a bowl, cream the marrow with a fork until perfectly smooth. Mix in the eggs, salt, nutmeg and chopped parsley. Mix in enough matzoh meal to make a soft dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for several hours in the refrigerator.
• Using your hands, roll the dough into balls the size of a quarter. Meanwhile, bring the chicken soup to a simmer. Fill a separate saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Drop in one marrow ball; if it doesn't hold together, add more matzoh meal to the dough.
• Test again. When the test ball holds together, drop the remaining balls into the simmering soup and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until light and cooked through.

CHICKEN SOUP WITH MARROW BALLS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring the water and the chicken to a boil. Skim off any residue that accumulates. Add the onions, parsnips, celery, rutabaga, turnip, kohlrabi (if using), 4 of the carrots, 4 tablespoons of the parsley, 4 tablespoons of the fresh dill and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer over low heat for 2 1/2 hours.
• Strain the soup; remove the meat, celery and onion and discard or use for other purposes. When the soup has cooled slightly, remove the remaining vegetables, slice them into thin strips and return to saucepan.
• Refrigerate the strained soup until the fat congeals on the surface, about 3 hours or overnight. Skim off the fat.
• Add the zucchini and the remaining carrots. Add the marrow balls and cook as in Step 3 of the marrow ball recipe. Serve warm, garnished with the remaining parsley and dill.

JOAN NATHAN'S MATZO BALLS

Steps:

• Mix the chicken fat or vegetable oil with the eggs, salt, nutmeg, ginger, matzo meal and parsley together in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
• Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Take the matzo mix out of the refrigerator and, after dipping your hands into a bowl of cold water, gently form balls the size of large walnuts. Add the salt to the water and drop in the balls.
• Simmer slowly, covered, for about 20 minutes, remove from water with a slotted spoon, and add to the soup.