Italian Meatball Recipe

Italian Meatball
Recipe Collection

ITALIAN MEATBALL RECIPE COLLECTION! From the jumbo Siciliano style with rich thick tomato sauce to the Calabrese meatball with raisins and pinenuts.

I know, I know. Your Mama made traditional Italian meatballs. But depending on where your Mama came from in Italy that meatball recipe maybe very different to what you would find in a typical Italian restaurant.

There is a restaurant in Delray Beach, Florida called Tramonti's. They have a traditional Calabrese meatball made with with sweet raisins a mixture of veal, pork and beef. Let me tell you by experience, they are delicious!

My Father's Polpette recipe was a little different. He made his meatballs in small bite sized balls. Being from the Northern region of Italy in Milano, he was taught to make them small and delicate.

Some meatballs are found in soups like the famous Italian wedding soup. Little tiny meatballs married with vegetables in a flavorful broth and ancini di pepe pasta shape.

But meatballs are not exclusive to Italy.

• Keftedes - Greek meatballs made with garlic and mint.
• Swedish Meatballs - Usually served with a thick creamy sauce.
• Chinese Meatballs - Steamed into yummy dim sum bites.
• Albanian Meatballs - Made with Feta and deep fried.
• Latin Meatballs - Albondigas and usually served in a broth.

Like most Italian food it has acquired the flavors, traditions and technics from all over europe and the world. Putting them together in a way that makes food taste delicious.

Although I love it and need a long nap after a plateful, Spaghetti and meatballs are almost never seen in any Italian restaurant in Italy. Polpette, the Italian word for meatballs, are usually served with a gorgeous marinara sauce slathered over them, maybe along side a scoop of fresh and creamy riccotta or next to a crisp, green salad.

Like they do in another South Florida restaurant favorite of mine, Cafe Martorano's. Steve Martorano's Italian meatball recipe is world famous! He serves these baseball sized Italian meatballs along side a fresh romaine salad and olive oil dressing. MAN O MAN they are friggin good.

Italian Meatball Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb ground veal
• 1 lb ground pork
• 2 eggs
• 1 large bunch of parsley
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Pinch of Garlic powder
• Pinch of Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 loaf of day old Italian bread
• Enough vegetable Oil to fill pan half way

Italian Meatball Recipe Preparation:

Take your day old Italian bread and tear it into large peices. Ciabatta or a bagette is a good bread to use.

Put the bread chunks into a large bowl and drizzle water over them until they are covered.

Use your hands and pick up a handful of the bread and squeeze the excess water out of it. Mix it with the ground meats. This gives your Italian meatballs moisture and helps bind the meats.

Add the eggs and mix again. Keep digging in with your hands. It's the only way to do it!

Now add the parsley, cheese, the breadcrumbs, the garlic powder, salt and mix together. Yes, still using your hands.

Knead it all together until all the ingredients are blended well. You can just smell all the delicious flavor.

When you form your Italian meatballs make them big. Nice and BIG! A good size should be almost as big as a baseball. That's the Southern Italian way.

So toss out the old fashioned concept of a plate piled high with spaghetti and meatballs towering above it. Good but there is so much more to this Italian meatball recipe collection.

Vivere, Amare, Ridere e Mangiare Bene
Live, Love, Laugh and Eat Well!

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