Polpette alla Casalinga
This Italian dish is more commonly known as Meatballs. Serve hot smothered in tomato and garlic sauce or combine with tomato sauce and spaghetti for a filling pasta dish.
Ingredients:
• 2 Slices of white bread, torn into small pieces
• ¼ pint milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 lb. lean minced beef
• ¼ lb. sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casing
• 2 ½ oz. freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 5 tsp. finely chopped, fresh parsley
• 5 tsp. vegetable oil
• 2 small tsp. finely chopped garlic
• 1 small tsp. grated lemon peel
• 1 small tsp. ground allspice
• 1 small tsp. Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil for frying
Method:
1) Soak the pieces of bread in ¼ pint milk for 5 minutes, then squeeze them dry and discard the milk.
2) In a large mixing bowl, combine the soaked bread, the beaten egg, 1 pound of ground beef, ¼ pound of Italian sausage, the grated parmesan cheese and finely chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon of oil garlic, lemon peel, allspice, salt and a few grindings of black pepper.
3) Knead the mixture with both hands until well blended.
4) Shape the mixture into small balls about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Lay the meatballs out in one layer on a flat tray or baking sheet, cover them with plastic wrap and chill for atleast an hour.
5) Heat ¼ cup of oil in a heavy-based pan over moderately high heat and fry the meatballs for 8-10 minutes until brown outside and show no trace of pink inside. Add more oil to the skillet as needed.
(Serves 4 – 6)