Meatballs Tomasso's Italian
This basic recipe has been used as the Peca family meatball recipe for years. The only change in the ingredients listed is the option of using egg yolks instead of whole eggs. Either way, always bring the eggs to room temperature before adding to the mixture. This recipe was updated on October 2nd 2014. I took 10 meatball recipes from some great chefs and compared ingredients, measurements and tips to come up with this meatball recipe. Some of the Chefs used a mixture of meats - 50% Ground beef, 25% Ground Veal and 25% Ground Pork. Some fried their meatballs. Some baked their meatballs and some just cooked them 100% in their sauce and some a combination, just like this recipe. One common Characteristic was that all of the chef recipes cooked their meatballs for NO MORE then 30 minutes total time. Most used a milk and bread mixture to soften their meatballs. Ratios of meat, eggs, grated cheese, milk, bread, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley and basil were very comparable with a few exceptions. One used Ricotta Cheese instead of Grated Parm or Pecorino. Two chefs mixed dry flavored or Panko breadcrumbs with their milk. None used any Eggplant - That was my Grandma Marotta's secret ingredient. I also watched videos to pick up a workable technique with tips for making a soft and flavorful meatball.
This basic recipe has been used as the Peca family meatball recipe for years. The only change in the ingredients listed is the option of using egg yolks instead of whole eggs. Either way, always bring the eggs to room temperature before adding to the mixture. This recipe was updated on October 2nd 2014. I took 10 meatball recipes from some great chefs and compared ingredients, measurements and tips to come up with this meatball recipe. Some of the Chefs used a mixture of meats - 50% Ground beef, 25% Ground Veal and 25% Ground Pork. Some fried their meatballs. Some baked their meatballs and some just cooked them 100% in their sauce and some a combination, just like this recipe. One common Characteristic was that all of the chef recipes cooked their meatballs for NO MORE then 30 minutes total time. Most used a milk and bread mixture to soften their meatballs. Ratios of meat, eggs, grated cheese, milk, bread, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley and basil were very comparable with a few exceptions. One used Ricotta Cheese instead of Grated Parm or Pecorino. Two chefs mixed dry flavored or Panko breadcrumbs with their milk. None used any Eggplant - That was my Grandma Marotta's secret ingredient. I also watched videos to pick up a workable technique with tips for making a soft and flavorful meatball.
- 2 lbs ground chuck
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 med onion - 2 inches in diameter (grated)
- 2 large cloves of garlic - minced
- 2 tbl. parsley – freshly chopped
- 2 tbl. sweet basil - fresh chopped
- 4 large egg yolks or two large eggs
- 3/4 cup grated cheese - pecorino
- 8 slices day old italian bread 1 inch thick
- 1 cup milk to blend with the bread
- optional:
- 1/2 cup pre cooked & mashed eggplant
- Carbohydrate 0.0177777430555556 g
- Cholesterol 26.8375485583333 mg
- Fat 7.56076706944444 g
- Fiber 0.00726909722222222 g
- Protein 6.49315447325 g
- Saturated Fat 2.90061403195278 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (38g)
- Sodium 25.3376434361111 mg
- Sugar 0.0105086458333333 g
- Trans Fat 1.15291900986111 g
- Calories 96 calories
Step-by-step
- Grate onions and mince the garlic. Sauté the onions and garlic with the parsley and basil in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, at a very low temperature, for 1 - 2 minutes. Blend milk with the bread and let stand for 10 minutes. Use the complete milk and bread mixture here. Do not squeeze out the milk. It helps to make a tender meatball per Marcella Hazan.
- Then blend all non meat ingredients until well mixed. Make sure your eggs are gently mixed and at room temperature.
- Now blend the mixture above with your room temperature meat. Try not to handle too much. Make sure the overall mixture is moist to the touch. Adjust up or down with water or dry breadcrumbs.
- After the mixture is blended, cover with plastic wrap.
- Place mixture in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Overnight is better. This process helps to bring all the flavors together before rolling your meatballs.
- Bring your meatball mixture to room temperature. Roll out your meatballs lightly, do not press them together to firm. I use a scant 1/3 cup measure for each meatball to get uniformity of size. Size should be bigger than a golf ball but smaller than a tennis ball. They will shrink a little after frying. Wet your hands and the meat will not stick while rolling out. Meatballs should be very moist but holding their shape before they are chilled. Place meatballs on a plate covered with parchment paper so they do not stick while being chilled.
- Place completed meatballs in the fridge to chill for 1/2 hour or the freezer for about 15 minutes. This will help keep the meatball shape while frying.
- Heat 1/4 cup Canola or Peanut oil in a Cast Iron frying pan.
- Fry the chilled meatballs for no more than 6 minutes. Try to brown them all around. Turn them at two minute intervals. Drain the completed meatballs.
- Meatballs will then gently be placed in your sauce and cook an additional 20 - 25 minutes Max before serving.
- If the meatballs are frozen, bring them to room temperature before adding to your sauce.
Swapping whole eggs for four large egg yolks introduces extra fat that binds the ground chuck more completely, yielding a richer and significantly softer interior crumb. While whole eggs supply structural rigidity through their whites, relying exclusively on yolks eliminates the risk of a rubbery protein matrix. Professional kitchens utilize panade mixtures without wringing out the excess moisture, exactly as specified here with the milk-soaked bread, because trapped liquid converts to internal steam during cooking to keep the meat from tightening into dense spheres.
The Crucial Resting and Temperature Stages
Handling ground meat requires thermal discipline to prevent the rendered fats from smearing across the bowl, which ruins the final mouthfeel. Chill the blended mixture for at least three hours, allowing the pecorino cheese proteins and starches to hydrate fully in the presence of the dairy and aromatics. Before rolling, bring the mass back to room temperature so the fats do not shock upon hitting the hot oil. Wetting your hands with cold water prevents sticking without introducing unwanted flour or excess oil to the exterior.
Frying and Sauce Integration
Cast iron is the preferred vessel for frying because it maintains a stable temperature when the chilled portions enter the hot canola oil. Brown the exterior for no more than six minutes total, turning every two minutes to build a caramelized crust without overcooking the center. Pricking the fried spheres gently with a fork before submerging them in simmering sauce creates channels for the liquid to penetrate. This short braise of twenty to twenty-five minutes allows the interior to finish cooking entirely by thermal absorption rather than aggressive boiling.
