Classic Meatballs

Name: Classic Meatballs
Yield: Serves 4–6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp. milk; ⅔ cup ricotta, drained in a sieve for 2 hours; 3 eggs, lightly beaten; 6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing; 7 slices white bread, finely ground in a food processor; ½ tsp. ground cumin; ¼ tsp. ground allspice; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 2 oz. prosciutto, finely chopped; 2 oz. finely chopped pork fat or unsmoked bacon; 1 ¼ cups loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped, plus more to garnish; 2 tsp. dried oregano; 1 cup beef or veal stock; 1 ½ tsp. fennel seeds; 1 tsp. chile flakes; 4 cups canned tomato purée; Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, to garnish; ¼ cup red wine; 10 oz. ground beef chuck or veal; 10 oz. ground pork shoulder

Preparation info

Serves
4–6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Italian Comfort Food

By The Editors of Saveur

Published 2015

About

There are a lot of ingredients in traditional meatballs—several meats, herbs, a variety of spices, milk, cheese, and more—but the results are a study in perfect balance. Moist, salty, and airy, with a tiny bit of heat from chile flakes, these meatballs epitomize Italian comfort food.

Ingredients

10 oz. ground beef chuck or veal
10 oz. ground pork shoulder

Europe
Italy
Main course
Mediterranean

Method

In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, pork fat, prosciutto, parsley, oregano, fennel seeds, chile flakes, cumin, allspice, and bread crumbs and season generously with salt and pepper. Using your fingers, mix ingredients until combined and set aside. In a bowl, whisk together ricotta, milk, and eggs; add to meat mixture and gently mix until incorporated. Chill for 1 hour.