Polpettini (Yummy Little Meatballs)

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Polpettini are delightful little Tuscan meatballs.

Ingredients

  • MISE EN PLACE:
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 3 onions cut in 1/4-inch dice
  • Kosher salt
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 pound ground veal
  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 cups chicken stock

Preparation

Step 1

1. Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and cook until soft and very aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

2. Transfer onions to a large bowl and add the beef, veal, pork, rosemary, Parmigiano, 1/4 cup water, bread crumbs and eggs; season generously with salt. Use your hands to combine everything well. The mixture should be pretty loose so 1 to 2 tablespoons more water if needed.

3. Before cooking all the polpettini, make a 1- to 2-inch taster patty. In a small saute pan, heat a bit of oil and cook the patty, when it's cool enough, taste it to make sure it's delicious-if it's not, reseason. When the tester tastes fabulous, roll the mixture into 1-inch balls.

4. Coat a large saute pan with oil and bring it to high heat. Working in batches so you don't overcrowd the pan, cook the polpettini until brown on all sides, then add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and cook until the stock has reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the polpettini and reserve in a warm spot. Repeat this process until all the polpettini are cooked. Stick them with rosemary toothpicks to serve.