Best Polpette Recipes

POLPETTE ALLA NAPOLETANA (NEAPOLITAN MEATBALLS)

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 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

POLPETTE DI MAMMA

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.

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN MEATBALLS/POLPETTE

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together
• Form about the size of golf balls
• Make or pour tomato sauce into a deep pot Drop meat balls in sauce.
• Simmer for at least 2 hours.

POLPETTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix together the beef, pork, cheese, breadcrumbs, milk, parsley, salt, pepper and eggs in a large bowl, then roll into small balls and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F. Fry meatballs for 1 minute. Top with your favorite marinara and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

POLPETTE NAPOLETANE (NEAPOLITAN MEATBALLS)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, place the bread; cover with milk and leave to soak.
• Chop parsley and garlic together.
• Squeeze milk out of the bread and add to meat along with parsley and garlic in a large mixing bowl.
• Mix ingredients together, then add eggs and mix again.
• Add Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Shape meatballs, make a hole in the top and insert a small piece of mozarella.
• Cover over mozzarella, then roll meatballs in bread crumbs.
• Fry in heated olive oil for 5 minutes, then turn over.
• When golden brown and crusty on both sides, remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
• Add meatballs to your favorite tomato sauce and cook very slowly for 45 minutes on low heat.

POLPETTE DI PATATE FRITTE (POTATO AND PROSCIUTTO FRITTERS)

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.

PUTTANESCA WITH TUNA POLPETTE AND PENNE

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.

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

POLPETTE

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.

POLPETTE (TORPEDO SHAPED MEATBALLS)

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 DI UOVA E ORTICHE (EGG PATTIES WITH NETTLES)

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add nettles and cook uncovered until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain and chop finely.
• Mix nettles, eggs, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and salt together in a bowl until mixture is combined. Dip hands in warm water and shape mixture into small patties.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry patties in hot oil, turning halfway, until cooked through and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

CELERY POLPETTE

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 DI MELANZANE WITH SUGO DI POMODORO

Steps:

• Sugo: Pour tomatoes and liquid into a large sauce pan. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 min. After cooking, pass tomatoes through a food mill (about 1/8 in. blade holes)or though a colander. Discard solids and return sauce to the pan. Add salt, sugar, and pepper to taste. Simmer for 2 more min., then turn off heat and add several springs of basil. Let stand for 30 min. Remove the basil. Makes about 4 cups. Polpette: Boil 4 qts water in a large pot. Add eggplant halves, return to a boil. Submerge eggplant with a heat-resistant plate if necessary. Reduce heat and simmer for approx. 10-15 min., or until the eggplant is soft when pierced. Drain eggplant under cold running water. Once cool enough to handle, place eggplant (2-3 halves per batch) in a clean, lint-free dish towel and wring gently to remove excess water. Repeat until all the eggplant has been wrung dry. Finely chop the eggplant; place it in a large mixing bowl with 1 egg, Pecorino, mint, currants, pine nuts and 3/4 cup bread crumbs. Add salt and pepper to taste, and mix well. Add bread crumbs if the mixture feels wet (it should be moist, but free from excess moisture). Shape into about 25 balls, each about 1 1/4 in. in diameter. Dredge balls. Heat 1/2 in. pure olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Fry until golden brown on all sides in batches of 5-6 at a time, approximately 5-6 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining balls. To finish: Bring the sugo di pomodoro to a gentle simmer in a large frying pan. Sauce should be thick enough to coat the balls. Add the eggplant balls and simmer gently for approximately 5 min. Divide between 6 shallow bowls; drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with parsley, and top with a generous shaving of Pecorino. Per serving: 406 cals, 16 g protein, 46 g carbs, 20 g fat (5 g saturated), 13 mg cholesterol, 898 mg sodium, 9 g fiber.

POLPETTE DI ACCIUGHE: ANCHOVY MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Place the anchovies, bread crumbs, Parmigiano cheese, parsley, garlic, egg, salt, and wine in a mixing bowl. Combine the ingredients together well, using your hands. If the mixture is too dry, add more wine, or if it's too wet, add more bread crumbs. Scoop the mixture, about the size of an egg, onto the palm of your hands and form into a compact ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
• Heat up extra-virgin olive oil in a deep heavy-bottomed pan. Gently place the balls in the hot oil, a few at time, and fry until golden brown. Turn the balls over to cook on all sides. Transfer to a plate lined with an absorbent paper towel. Serve immediately or place into simmering tomato sauce for a few minutes. Serve with tomato extra sauce.
• Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the onion, garlic, and chile peppers. Gently fry ingredients together, about 5 minutes.
• Add pureed plum tomatoes to saucepan. Simmer on low to medium heat for 10 minutes. Season with salt, to taste. Add basil leaves at the very end.

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.

POLPETTE ALLA CASALINGA

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.

GNOCCHI CON POLPETTE DI MANZO

Steps:

• Put the tomatoes into a saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme leaves, bay leaf, oregano, garlic powder, sugar, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Put the beef and pork into a large bowl and add the parsley, bread crumbs, cumin, oregano, eggs, and salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Take a tablespoon of the mixture and roll it into a small ball; repeat. You will get about 80 small meatballs. Put them onto a sheet pan and broil until they are browned and cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and rinse. Toss them in the olive oil.
• To serve: Using long skewers, skewer on a gnocchi, a meatball, and then another gnocchi. Press the top gnocchi into the crushed sweet pepper. Cut an eggplant in half lengthwise and put it cut side down onto a platter. Stick the finished skewers into the eggplant. Serve with a bowl of warm marinara on the side for dipping.

POLPETTE DI VITTORIO: VITTORIO'S MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Put the ground beef, Parmigiano cheese, bread crumbs, nutmeg, parsley, salt, pepper, milk, and extra-virgin olive oil in a mixing bowl. Mix all the ingredients together well.
• Heat a grill.
• Scoop the mixture into the palm of your hands and form a meatball. Then flatten out the meatball so that it resembles a meat patty. Place the meat patty between 2 lemon leaves. Repeat the process with the remaining beef mixture.
• Cook the patties on a hot grill for a few minutes on each side. As they cook, the oils from the lemon leaves will infuse the meat patties with lemon flavor. Use tongs to securely lift and turn over each meat patty so that it remains sandwiched between the two lemon leaves as it cooks. Transfer the meat patties, still sandwiched between the lemon leaves, to a serving platter and serve immediately.

MINESTRA WITH BEEF AND PORK POLPETTE

Steps:

• Heat extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and render a couple of minutes, then add the onions and sliced garlic and potato - if you prefer pasta, add later when you reheat the soup. Season the onions, garlic, and potatoes with salt and pepper and add a bay leaf. Cook to soften, and then add the escarole to the pot and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, cover to wilt. Stir in the cannellini beans and stock plus 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a rolling simmer.
• Meanwhile, douse bread with milk to soften. Place ground meats in bowl. Season the meat with salt and pepper, fennel, paprika, crushed red pepper, cheese, and parsley. Add the yolk to the bowl, squeeze the milk out of the bread and crumble to add to the meat. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and roll meat into walnut-size balls, then add to soup and poach until cooked through.
• Cool completely and store soup for make-ahead meal. To reheat the soup: Place in a covered pot and bring to a boil, add the pasta to cook to al dente if you prefer the pasta to potato. Serve soup in shallow bowls with shredded cheese on top and an extra drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Crust up some bread in hot oven while soup reheats for mopping.