Polpette Alla Cantinella Food

POLPETTE - ITALIAN MEATBALLS IN RICH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large bowl add ground beef and crumble it with a wooden spoon or simply using your fingers.
• Add finely chopped shallot. I like to use a microplane grater as it extracts all the juices to go with the meat and minces the shallot really well.
• Add ground nutmeg, breadcrumbs, egg(s) and Parmesan cheese.
• Mix everything well with your hands.
• Slowly pour in the milk. Mix again until smooth and even texture.
• Add salt and pepper.
• If the mixture feels too dry add some more milk, if way too soft, almost liquid-y - add more breadcrumbs.
• An ideal meatball mix should be moist, easy to roll in your hands and hold the shape.
• Preheat oven to 400 F.
• Pinch of about an ounce of meat and roll it between the palms of your hands giving it a smooth round shape with no cracks.
• With an ounce of meat you'll have medium size meatballs, think walnut size.
• Of course you can make your meatballs smaller or bigger, depending your preference.
• Place rolled meatballs on a baking sheet (see notes!).Line with parchment paper to avoid extra cleaning.Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
• In a large skillet pan add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
• Add baked meatballs, tomato pure (clean the can/bottle with about a quarter cup water and add to the sauce).
• Add garlic cloves crushed with a flat knife, handful of fresh basil leaves and generous drizzle of dried oregano.
• Bring to simmer and cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes.

POLPETTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix together the beef, pork, cheese, breadcrumbs, milk, parsley, salt, pepper and eggs in a large bowl, then roll into small balls and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F. Fry meatballs for 1 minute. Top with your favorite marinara and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

POLPETTE NAPOLETANE

Steps:

• Put the bread in a small mixing bowl, cover with milk, and leave to soak.
• Chop the parsley and garlic together. Put meat into a large mixing bowl. Squeeze the milk out of the bread and add to meat. Add parsley and garlic. Use your hands to mix the ingredients. Break eggs into the mixture to bind it. Keep mixing. Add the pecorino. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Shape meatballs by hand, make a hole in the top and insert a small piece of mozzarella. Cover it up and pat meatball into shape. Roll them in bread crumbs. Pour olive oil into a frying pan and when it's really hot, fry the meatballs for 5 minutes, or until they have formed a crust. Then turn over. When golden brown and crusty on both sides remove the meatballs from the pan and drain on paper towels.
• Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce, cover and cook very slowly on low heat for 45 minutes, until the sauce is reduced by half.
• Pour enough oil into a saucepan to cover the surface. Add garlic and 3 tins of tomatoes, mashing them slightly. Boil the sauce for 5 minutes and simmer for another 3 minutes.
• Cooking Time: 8 minutes

POLPETTE DI PEPPE

Steps:

• Soak the bread in the milk for a few minutes, and remove excess milk by squeezing the bread with your hands. Break up the bread into small pieces and add to a mixing bowl with the ground pork, ground beef, raisins, pine nuts, parsley, basil, Parmigiano cheese, and salt and pepper.
• Add the eggs, and mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed. With your hands, shape the meatballs into the size of golf balls.
• In a large pot, heat the extra-virgin olive oil and cook the onion until translucent. Add the wine, and tomato puree, and bring it to a boil. Add the uncooked meatballs to the pot and let cook on medium heat until cooked through, about 30 minutes.

CELERY POLPETTE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the celery stalks into 2-inch pieces (reserve the leaves). Boil the celery until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water, then spin in a salad spinner and pat dry. Pulse the celery in a food processor until chopped. Squeeze handfuls of the puree in a kitchen towel to remove excess water.
• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery puree, 1/3 cup parsley, 2 teaspoons minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until soft, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Reserve the skillet.
• Mix the eggs, breadcrumbs and parmesan into the celery mixture. Roll into about 16 small balls; refrigerate until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery balls and cook, turning, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off half of the oil from the skillet. Add the tomato paste, the remaining 1 teaspoon minced garlic and the red pepper flakes; cook over medium heat until the garlic starts to brown, about 1 minute. Add 2/3 cup water and whisk until emulsified, about 30 seconds. Return the celery balls to the sauce and heat through. Add the reserved celery leaves and the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley.