My grandmother made the best meatballs in the world. Actually, we didn't call her grandma. We called her Margaret, which wasn't really her name. Her name was Cosima or something like that, but she disliked that name. I'd like to tell you that there is some story behind our calling her Margaret, but to be honest, I haven't got a clue.
Margaret's recipe for meatballs are deceiving simple, and I've made them a number of times, but I've never been able to make them like her. Like I said, her recipe is simple. Mine is not.
Off to the market you go, and make sure you go early. There's a few reasons for this, but the biggest is that in years to come your kids will fondly remember waking up to the delectable aromas of Italian cooking and hopefully will forget all of the goofy stupid things you did as a parent.
When you get to the market bee line it to the bakery department and grab some day old bread. Country bread works great. Cinnamon and raisin does not. If there isn't any out on display, ask the nice lady behind the counter if she has any. Make sure you're polite and ask her how she's doing. Maybe she'll give you a cookie.
Next, head over to the deli counter. Grab a number and wait with all of the other folks in line. If you're bored ask people what kind of cold cuts they're going to order. No matter what they say, respond by saying, "You're not going to really eat that are you? Do you know how they make that? "
When your number is called, ask the person behind the counter how their day is going. This is a nice thing to do, and it's really disappointing to see their stunned face as most people just shout their order at them. We need to make the world a better place. Why not start at the deli counter?
Tell the person behind the counter that you have bad news and good news for them. The bad news is that you need a half pound of Prosciutto (they hate having to cut the paper thin slices) but the good news is that they only need to cut into two thick slices.
Proceed to the meat counter and grab equal portions of ground pork, ground veal and ground beef. I usually use chuck. a lot of the time there isn't ground chuck out in the cooler so I select a chuck roast and summon one of the meat cutters. As always, say hello and ask how they are doing and maybe you'll get a few bones for your dog or for making stock. Ask if they have any ground chuck. When they say that all of their ground beef is chuck, ask if they'll grind the roast for you. They'll happily oblige.
the reason for using chuck is that it has the best lean to fat ratio for making meatballs. Don't substitute with turkey. If you feel that you don't want the red meat or the fat, make something else.
Proceed through the aisles of the market and make sure you say hello to your fellow shoppers each time you pass them especially if you see the same person over and over again. While going through the aisles, select the following items:
eggs
whole milk
fennel seeds
chili flakes
precorino romano cheese
flat leaf parsley (Don't grab the cilantro by mistake)
dried oregano ( I have fresh in our herb garden but oregano is one of those rare exceptions where the dried version is better)
salt
pepper
One other key ingredient is ricotta cheese. Ricotta cheese is something that most people don't use in meatballs, but adding ricotta brings additional richness and keeps the heavenly spheres light and moist.
When you get back home pre heat the oven to 400 degrees, pour yourself a glass of wine and select some music that is suitable for your task. Pearl Jam works nicely.
Cut the prosciutto into small cubes and do the same to the day old bread. Avoid using the crust if it is too, well, uh...crusty, I guess. Add about a cup of milk and the rest of the ingredients of which I can't offer the precise amounts, ratios or proportions. I know this may be frustrating to you, but I really don't know. If it's any consolation I couldn't get Margaret to tell me proportions either as she did everything by taste or feel. The one thing she did offer is that you should use one egg per pound of meat.
Mix all of your ingredients together with your hands, but don't over work it or the meatballs will be a little tough.
Take a break from mixing to tell your spouse that you love them and want a hug. then chase them around the house with your disgusting meat caked hands. Deb loves this!
Roll the meatballs and place on a lightly greased pan (I use olive oil.) Cook for about 10 minutes or until they brown. Then drop them into the gravy (are you a gravy or sauce person?) and let them braise (braise? Guess who's been watching the Food Network?)
Let the sauce and meatballs simmer at a low heat so your kids can come by and pick at them throughout the day.
So there you have it. People seem
to really like these things and I generally receive praise for the flavor and texture, but still, they're nothing like hers.
Thanks, Margaret.
