Polpette di Carne

In Italy,
meatballs are known as
"polpette"

POLPETTE DI CARNE

Ingredients:

1 or 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
 olive oil or unsalted butter

1 pound ground chicken, veal, or beef
1 cup white bread, torn in pieces,

A little milk or water
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino cheese
A handful of chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried or roughly 3 times as much very finely chopped fresh herbs
3 large eggs
Salt and black pepper
Soft or dry breadcrumbs for frying
1 1/2 cups broth, stock, or tomato sauce 

 Directions:

Cook the garlic in a little olive oil or butter over medium-low heat until it is translucent but not colored. Reduce the meat to a rough paste in a mortar or food processor, and place it in a large bowl.

Soften the bread in a little milk or water for a few minutes, then squeeze out most of the liquid and add the bread to the meat, along with the garlic, cheese, parsley, other herbs, eggs, and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.


Form the seasoned meat into polpette (meatballs), about the size of a small mandarin orange and similarly flattened; roll them in breadcrumbs. (The bread-coated, uncooked polpette can be held in the refrigerator for a few hours until mealtime.) Brown them in butter or oil over medium heat, turning, until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add the broth, stock, or tomato sauce, and simmer to lightly reduce the liquid to a sauce, turning the polpette again. Add salt and pepper to taste.