**Polpette: A Journey Through Italian Meatball Delights**
Polpette, the delectable Italian meatballs, embark on a culinary journey that transcends time and region. These versatile orbs of minced meat, skillfully crafted with an array of herbs, spices, and bread or breadcrumbs, capture the essence of Italian cuisine. From the classic Polpette al Sugo, simmering in a rich tomato sauce, to the unique Polpette di Pesce, featuring tender seafood, each recipe unveils a distinctive flavor profile. Whether pan-fried, baked, or braised, these meatballs offer a symphony of textures, from crispy exteriors to succulent interiors. Join us as we explore the diverse world of Polpette, where tradition meets culinary innovation in every bite.
POLPETTE ALLA NAPOLETANA (NEAPOLITAN MEATBALLS)
This is a recipe from Mario Batali, and is incorporated into 'Timpano Di Maccheroni' (the mythic pasta dome, recipe #85372). Fabulous meatballs. My husband has resigned his own recipe in lieu of this one.
Provided by skat5762
Categories Meat
Time 1h20m
Yield 12-15 meatballs
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a shallow bowl, soak the bread cubes in water to cover for a minute or two.
- Drain the bread cubes and squeeze with your fingers to press out the excess moisture (make sure you do this well).
- In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, beef, eggs, garlic, pecorino, parsley, toasted pine nuts, salt and pepper, and mix with your hands to incorporate.
- With wet hands, form the mixture into 12-15 meatballs, each smaller than a tennis ball, but larer than a golf ball.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until almost smoking.
- Add the meatballs and, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan, cook until deep golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce and reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Cook all the meatballs for 30 minutes.
- Set aside and allow to cool; save the sauce for another use.
POLPETTE DI MAMMA
When you think of Italian food, spaghetti with meatballs is probably one of the first dishes that comes to mind. Every Italian mother and grandmother has their signature polpette (meatball) recipe, and their children will always boast that their meatballs are the best. -Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h30m
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- In a small saucepan, combine olive oil, basil leaves and garlic over very low heat until mixture is very fragrant and garlic turns golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Strain mixture, discarding basil and garlic; set oil aside., In a Dutch oven, combine crushed tomatoes, water, tomato paste, salt, chopped basil, pepper and reserved olive oil. Bring to a boil; remove ½ cup and set aside. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, while preparing polpette., Meanwhile, to make polpette, in a large bowl, combine all polpette ingredients and reserved 1/2 cup tomato mixture. Gently mix until combined (mixture will be loose). With wet hands, roll 1/4 cup mixture into balls. Place on a baking sheet or plate. Add raw meatballs to simmering sauce, gently shaking pan to allow for more space. Bring to a simmer; cook, covered, at least 45 minutes or up to 2 hours.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 453 calories, Fat 27g fat (7g saturated fat), Cholesterol 110mg cholesterol, Sodium 2352mg sodium, Carbohydrate 31g carbohydrate (13g sugars, Fiber 5g fiber), Protein 26g protein.
POLPETTE NAPOLETANE
Steps:
- Put the bread in a small mixing bowl, cover with milk, and leave to soak.
- Chop the parsley and garlic together. Put meat into a large mixing bowl. Squeeze the milk out of the bread and add to meat. Add parsley and garlic. Use your hands to mix the ingredients. Break eggs into the mixture to bind it. Keep mixing. Add the pecorino. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Shape meatballs by hand, make a hole in the top and insert a small piece of mozzarella. Cover it up and pat meatball into shape. Roll them in bread crumbs. Pour olive oil into a frying pan and when it's really hot, fry the meatballs for 5 minutes, or until they have formed a crust. Then turn over. When golden brown and crusty on both sides remove the meatballs from the pan and drain on paper towels.
- Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce, cover and cook very slowly on low heat for 45 minutes, until the sauce is reduced by half.
- Pour enough oil into a saucepan to cover the surface. Add garlic and 3 tins of tomatoes, mashing them slightly. Boil the sauce for 5 minutes and simmer for another 3 minutes.
- Cooking Time: 8 minutes
PUTTANESCA WITH TUNA POLPETTE AND PENNE
Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 20m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook to al dente. Drain and keep warm.
- Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add anchovies and stir into oil until melted. Add the garlic, turn heat to low and saute for a couple of minutes. Stir in the tomatoes crushing them up, then stir in stock. Season with a little black pepper, add capers and olives and simmer a few minutes.
- While sauce simmers, cut tuna into chunks and grind in food processor into coarse mixture. Pulse in the egg, bread crumbs and parsley and season with a little salt and black pepper. Remove tuna mixture from the processor to a bowl and add a drizzle of olive oil. Stir to combine. (Adding the oil will prevent mixture from sticking to your hands as you roll the balls.) Roll the tuna into small balls and drop into the sauce. Cover the pot and simmer the tuna balls in the sauce, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Place the pasta into a serving bowl. Add the tuna and sauce, toss to coat and garnish with shredded basil.
POLPETTE DI PATATE FRITTE (POTATO AND PROSCIUTTO FRITTERS)
A simple and tasty dish that kids love and a good alternative to fries. You only need a few ingredients and dinner can be ready in no time at all.
Provided by Monica Lenoci
Categories Appetizers and Snacks Tapas
Time 25m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Place shredded potatoes in a bowl; add flour, egg, and ham and mix well. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Form mixture into fritters.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; fry fritters until golden, about 5 minutes per side.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 340.9 calories, Carbohydrate 38.3 g, Cholesterol 52.8 mg, Fat 17.8 g, Fiber 4.3 g, Protein 7.5 g, SaturatedFat 3.3 g, Sodium 206.6 mg, Sugar 1.6 g
POLPETTE (TORPEDO SHAPED MEATBALLS)
Provided by Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez
Categories Milk/Cream Beef Cheese Pork Appetizer Kid-Friendly Quick & Easy Dinner Veal Pan-Fry Gourmet Sugar Conscious Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Small Plates
Yield Serves 12 (antipasto) with remaining meat mixture for sunday ragù
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Stir together bread crumbs and milk in a large bowl and let stand 10 minutes.
- Add meats, garlic, cheese, eggs, parsley, 1 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to bread crumb mixture and blend with your hands until combined (do not overmix). Form 1 1/2 cups meat mixture into small torpedo-shaped meatballs (1 level tablespoon each). Reserve remaining 4 cups meat mixture for ragù .
- Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then fry meatballs in 2 batches (do not crowd), turning occasionally, until browned well and cooked through, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels using a slotted spoon and reserve oil for frying meatballs for ragù.
POLPETTE
Mortadella (finely ground pork sausage with pieces of pistachio and spices) and a couple tablespoons of wine add tremendous depth of flavor to this traditional comfort food. Serve it with several vegetable side dishes, sparkling water, and a bottle of wine.From the book "Lucinda's Rustic Italian Kitchen," by Lucinda Scala Quinn (Wiley).
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Beef Recipes Ground Beef Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Heat the milk in a small pan until warm but not scalded. Turn off the heat. Place the bread in the milk and let sit to absorb the milk, turning once, about 1 minute per side. Remove the bread to a board, finely chop it, and place the bread in a large bowl.
- Add the pork, veal, mortadella, onion, parsley, cheese, nuts, garlic, eggs, wine, salt, and pepper to the bread. Using your hand, mix to combine completely. Form into an oval-shaped loaf and place in a large baking dish. Cook for 55 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
MARIO BATALI'S BIG TURKEY MEATBALLS - POLPETTE DI TACCHINO
Steps:
- Step 1: ingredients: 2 Cup panko bread crumbs Soak the bread crumbs in water to cover for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water. Step 2: ingredients: 2 Pound ground turkey 4 Ounces prosciutto di parma (cut into 1/8-inch dice) 8 Ounces sweet Italian sausage (casings removed) 3 large eggs (lightly beaten) 1 1/2 - 2 Cup milk 1/2 Cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano 1/4 Cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 3/4 Cup finely chopped Italian parsley Several gratings of nutmeg 1/2 Cup extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper In a large bowl, combine the turkey, prosciutto, sausage, bread crumbs, eggs, milk, ¼ cup of the pecorino, the Parmigiano, ½ cup of the parsley, the nutmeg, and ¼ cup of the olive oil and mix very gently with your hands. Season with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into 1-inch balls. Place the balls on a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend. Step 3: ingredients: 2 Cups tomato sauce Add the tomato to pan and bring to a boil. Place the meatballs in the sauce and return to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Step 4: instructions: Transfer to a platter and serve with the remaining ¼ cup each pecorino and parsley sprinkled over the top. http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/Thanksgiving-Mario-Batali-Big-Turkey-Meatballs-Polpette-Di-Tacchino
CELERY POLPETTE
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories side-dish
Time 1h20m
Yield 16 polpette
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the celery stalks into 2-inch pieces (reserve the leaves). Boil the celery until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water, then spin in a salad spinner and pat dry. Pulse the celery in a food processor until chopped. Squeeze handfuls of the puree in a kitchen towel to remove excess water.
- Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery puree, 1/3 cup parsley, 2 teaspoons minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until soft, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Reserve the skillet.
- Mix the eggs, breadcrumbs and parmesan into the celery mixture. Roll into about 16 small balls; refrigerate until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery balls and cook, turning, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off half of the oil from the skillet. Add the tomato paste, the remaining 1 teaspoon minced garlic and the red pepper flakes; cook over medium heat until the garlic starts to brown, about 1 minute. Add 2/3 cup water and whisk until emulsified, about 30 seconds. Return the celery balls to the sauce and heat through. Add the reserved celery leaves and the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley.
POLPETTE ALLA CASALINGA
This recipe for meatballs is the best that I have discovered. It came from the cookbook, "The Cooking of Italy". It actually is a Time-Life book, that has amazing information on the history of Italian cooking along with the regional applications. My ex mother in-law, who was born and raised in Italy says it's pretty accurate. She was and still is an amazing cook and baker at the age of 88. I still call her for help on recipes. Whoever tries this recipe, I hope you enjoy these meatballs as much as my family does.
Provided by Nana Chickens
Categories Pork
Time 1h
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Soak the pieces of bread in 1/2 cup milk for 5 minutes, then squeeze them dry and discard the milk.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix vigorously with both hands or beat with a wooden spoon until all of the ingredients are well blended and the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
- Shape the mixture into small balls about
- 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
- Lay the meatballs out in one layer on a flat tray or baking sheet, cover them with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Heat 1/4 cup of olive or vegetable oil in a heavy 10 to 12 inch skillet until a light haze forms over it.
- Fry meatballs 5-6 at a time over moderately high heat, shaking the pan constantly to roll the balls and help keep them round.
- In 8-10 minutes the meatballs would be brown outside a d show no trace of pink inside.
- Add more olive or vegetable oil as needed.
- Serve the meatballs hot in your favorite tomato sauce.
EGGPLANT MEATBALLS (POLPETTE DI MELANZANE)
Steps:
- 1. Peel the eggplant, slice into ½- inch rounds and then cut into ½- inch cubes. Place the cubed eggplant in a large 6- quart pot. Add the 2 tablespoons of salt and stir to coat all the eggplant. Pour in enough water to cover the eggplant by 2 inches. Let the eggplant soak in the salted water for an hour, stirring every 15 minutes. 2. After the eggplant has soaked, place the pot over medium- high heat and bring to a boil. Boil the eggplant until thoroughly cooked, 10 minutes. Drain into a colander and remove the excess liquid by placing a plate on top of the eggplant and adding a weight to the plate. Let the eggplant drain until cool. 3. Meanwhile, place the bread slices in a bowl and cover with water. Place a teacup saucer on the bread slices to help keep the bread under water. Set aside to soak for 5 to 10 minutes. 4. Place the drained and cooled eggplant in a large bowl. Remove the soaking bread from the water and, using your hands, squeeze out the excess water. Tear the bread into small pieces and add to the eggplant, along with the Parmigiano- Reggiano, garlic, parsley, eggs, salt, and pepper. If the mixture is too soft, add a tablespoon of dry bread crumbs. Form the eggplant mixture between the palms of your hands into 1- inch- diameter balls, and roll each "meatball" ( polpetta ) in the bread crumbs to coat. 5. Heat half an inch of oil in a heavy medium- size frying pan over medium heat and, in batches, brown the polpette on all sides, about 4 to 6 minutes. Place on paper towels to drain. While still warm, sprinkle with salt to taste. 6. May be served alone as an antipasto or covered with a simple sauce ( I love using a tomato cream sauce) and served as a second course.
Tips:
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients: The fresher your ingredients, the better your polpette will taste. Whenever possible, use organic, locally-sourced ingredients.
- Don't overmix the meat: Overmixing can make the polpette tough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Use a light touch when forming the polpette: Don't pack the meat mixture too tightly, or the polpette will be dense and dry.
- Brown the polpette before simmering: Browning the polpette gives them a nice crust and helps to seal in the flavor.
- Simmer the polpette in a flavorful sauce: The sauce is what really makes the polpette special. Use a sauce that is rich and flavorful, and that complements the flavor of the meat.
- Serve the polpette with your favorite sides: Polpette can be served with a variety of sides, such as pasta, rice, or vegetables.
Conclusion:
Polpette are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. They are easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste preferences. Whether you like your polpette beef, pork, or chicken, there is a recipe out there for you. So next time you're looking for a hearty and satisfying meal, give polpette a try. You won't be disappointed.
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