Chef notes
Make kid-friendly meatballs full of flavor with this recipe from Donatella Arpaia.
Ingredients
- 1 small loaf stale Italian bread (about 8 thick slices) torn into 2½-inch chunks
- 2 pounds 80% lean ground beef or veal chuck, broken up or combo of both
- 5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1½ cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Canola oil for frying
Preparation
Put the bread in a bowl and add enough warm water or milk to cover the bread. Let stand for 5 minutes, turning to moisten evenly. Gently squeeze out excess water.
Add the beef, garlic, parsley, egg and 3/4 cup of Parmigiano to the bread and combine. Season with the salt and pepper. Knead the mixture for at least 5 minutes with your hands, until uniformly combined and smooth.
Pinch a tablespoon of meat into your palms and shape into a ball. Place on a baking sheet and continue with the rest of the mixture.
Fill a 10-inch skillet halfway with the canola oil and heat over high heat. When strands form along the bottom, slide 8 to 10 meatballs at a time into the oil. Do not overcrowd. They should be 3/4 submerged in oil. Reduce the heat to medium and fry for 6 to 7 minutes each side, turning only once.
Remove the meatballs from the oil and turn the heat back up to high before starting the second batch.
