Italian Meatballs

Italian meatballs, known as “polpette” in Italian, are flavorful balls made from ground beef or ground turkey, Italian bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, eggs and onions.

Tips for Shaping Meatballs

• Keep your hands slightly moist to prevent sticking.
• Handle the mixture gently to avoid compacting it too much, which can make meatballs dense.
• Chill the shaped meatballs briefly before cooking to help them hold their shape.

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Italian Meatballs

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Italian meatballs, known as “polpette” in Italian, are flavorful balls made from ground beef or ground turkey.

• Author: Linda Jolly-Kilbride
• Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: varies
• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

2 pounds 85% ground beef or turkey 1 cup diced onions 1 cup diced green bell pepper 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced 2 eggs 1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup or so Italian bread crumbs Salt Pepper

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Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients well, adjusting bread crumbs and adding water if necessary.
2. Form into meatballs ~ small ones for Italian gravy or spaghetti sauce and ping pong ball size for sandwiches.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
4. Fry in some olive oil to partially cook and brown.
5. Place in tomato sauce to cook and absorb flavor for another 45 minutes. Or set aside to add to Italian gravy or spaghetti sauce.

Notes

These meatballs are great for sandwiches topped with provolone cheese.

Photo credit: HANSUAN FABREGAS from Pixabay