National Meatball Day 3/9!
Nobody made better meatballs than my Calabrese grandmother. Actually, everything she made was awesome. All she ever did was cook. She probably slept in the kitchen. LOL
Enjoy some balls today!
Calico696 
skippy Calico696 - Do you have your grandma's full recipe? My grandma was from Naples, but also used the holy trinity plus garlic, parsley, cheese and other ingredients. Just want to compare and learn. Thanks.
DannyC Sorry, no recipe. Nobody can duplicate them either, however my Aunt Iolanda can come close.
I just made a batch of fried meat ball yesterday! ( Calabrese style )
We love them for snacks. Goes good with beer or wine!
I can make a batch in 30 minutes blind folded.
Embryodad It's a good thing that picture wasn't taken with a cell phone that has GPS data in it Embryodad. ;-)
I think I might have donned a ski mask and taken a run a those things...
GC GC... notice they are not perfectly round, but are actually flattened slightly, and oval?
That prevents them from rolling off the table, and makes em finger food!
My favorite part, is the little chunks of bread that get fried on the outside. Nice and crispy! Gives them that little extra !
Embryodad - Any way to get your recipe? I bake meatballs and use breadcrumbs instead of bread. But yours look so delicious, I want to try your method.
I use the holy trinity, plus fresh bread crumbs, pecorino romano, sauteed diced onions and garlic, beaten egg, parsley, and lots of salt and pepper. I bake them until a crust forms, then finish them in sauce. I think I know what I'm doing this weekend.
MeisterNJ Good man for romano instead of parmesan, live bold!! ;-)
But I'm convinced its not so much ingredients but technique of being able to get the frying and sauteing and size and doneness just right. You can only teach that in person if at all. A meatball is a tricky little fellow.
Mine sound like meisternj's except no onion and I soak the bread crumbs in milk to add moisture. Nothing worse than a dry meatball!
3wbdwnj I've heard two thoughts on the milk - one is like you said 3wbdwnj, milk to keep that fluffy moisture. The other is that it makes the meatball too puffed up and not solid enough. That's the school of thought that Meister suggested with the "crust" type. I think I tend towards crusty, but a well fried (or baked) meatball is OK with as long as it doesn't start to taste like filler instead of meat. Just like a dry meatball is the worst, so is something that's more breadcrumb than holy trinity. :-(
As long as you dont go overboard on the bread crumbs and milk, they still get nice and crusty in the oven. If you want exact ratios of meat to bread and milk, no gots. It's all up here (Points to head).
3wbdwnj, I take white bread and pulse it in a food processor for the fresh breadcrumbs. I've found it produces nice juicy meatballs, no soaking necessary.
The perfect meatball is not easy. It's either hit or miss with me. I don't use the pork/beef/veal mixture..only because I never use or eat veal. I use 2 eggs, minimal amount of bread crumbs, 2 slices of bread soaked in milk, lots of crushed garlic, Pecorino Romano cheese, fresh basil, oregano, parsley and a small can of tomato paste.
Bake at 375 degrees until brown than slow cook in the gravy/sauce.
Most of the time I'm pleased with the turnout, but sometimes they break apart a bit. I never measure and I think at times I'm making them too moist..just need to add a little more bread crumbs I guess?
positive You know that you got the meatballs right when they are tasty even without any sauce. IMO, beef, pork and veal mix, fresh finely chopped garlic, flat leaf parsley, and locatelli romano cheese are the key ingredients, with baking at high heat (450 degrees) or frying to get a good caramelized crust, but still moist inside. Bread crumbs, eggs and water vs. bread, eggs and milk are a toss-up. Onions are optional, but only if previously sautéed and softened. There are at least three sauces that work: Italian tomato marinara or meat, Swedish creamy marsala and spicy apple with worcestershire. Any other ideas?
BTW, This same meat mixture, with a small amount of cooked rice (< 1 cup), makes a great filling for stuffed red peppers. Just blanch the trimmed peppers (no veins or seeds) first in boiling water for ten minutes, shock chill in ice water to stop the cooking process, then stuff and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, topped with breadcrumbs, locatelli romano and ketchup or marinara. Hot sauce or horseradish optional, but recommended.
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