Alice’s meatballs (Polpettine di Alice)

In this hearty family meal, a combination of minced meats and finely chopped pancetta are rolled into balls and cooked in a rich tomato sauce. Serve with plenty of grated parmesan.

Alice’s meatballs (Polpettine di Alice) Credit: Paola Bacchia

• makes

  〜30

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  50 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

"My friend Tamara's mother, Alice, gave me this recipe, which is one she remembers making in summer with her mamma. The produce from her father Erminio's garden was collected by the armful: tomatoes, basil, parsley and other fresh herbs. Alice would make a thick, garlicky tomato sugo using the tomatoes, and while it was bubbling away on the stove, Tamara would help by rolling the polpettine, little meatballs, which would be separately pan-fried and then dropped into the rich, red sauce. A combination of minced meats was used – two of either beef, veal, pork or chicken – and finely chopped pancetta would be added, too, if there was any in the fridge. Plenty of grated parmesan was scattered on the meatballs at the table.

When I make the recipe I use minced chicken and beef, as I fondly remember my mother combining the two in her sugo. I have replaced Alice's garden-grown tomatoes with good-quality tinned tomatoes, which are more reliably available through the year."

Ingredients

• 75 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely diced
• 900 g tinned whole peeled tomatoes
• a few stalks of fresh basil
• sea salt
• grated parmesan, to serve

For the meatballs

• 1 slice bread, crust removed
• 1 tbsp fresh herb leaves (a mix of parsley and oregano), finely chopped
• 300 g minced beef
• 300 g minced chicken
• 1 egg
• ¾ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Place 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the onion in a large frying pan and set over medium heat. Sauté the onion for about 12 minutes; it should be soft, translucent and starting to turn pale golden. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes until fragrant, then add the tomatoes, including the juice in the tins. Once the sauce starts to bubble, add the basil stalks and reduce the heat. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Season to taste with salt. (Remove the basil stalks before adding the meatballs.)
2. While the sauce is bubbling away, make the meatballs. Place the bread in a small bowl and add a little water – not too much, just enough that the bread soaks it up and softens. Squeeze the excess water from the bread and place it in a large bowl with the herbs, beef, chicken, egg and the ¾ teaspoon of salt. Mix with your hands until well combined. With damp hands, shape into small balls, about the size of a small apricot.
3. Place the remaining olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
4. Fry the meatballs in batches for 3–4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Once each batch is browned, I drop them straight into the tomato sauce, to finish cooking. Continue to cook the meatballs in the sauce for another 10 minutes or so. Season to taste with salt.
5. Serve warm, with plenty of the thick tomato sauce on your plate, a good grating of parmesan and crusty bread.

 

Istria: Recipes and stories from the hidden heart of Italy, Slovenia and Croatia by Paola Bacchia, published by Smith Street Books (RRP $55.00). Photography by Paola Bacchia.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

"My friend Tamara's mother, Alice, gave me this recipe, which is one she remembers making in summer with her mamma. The produce from her father Erminio's garden was collected by the armful: tomatoes, basil, parsley and other fresh herbs. Alice would make a thick, garlicky tomato sugo using the tomatoes, and while it was bubbling away on the stove, Tamara would help by rolling the polpettine, little meatballs, which would be separately pan-fried and then dropped into the rich, red sauce. A combination of minced meats was used – two of either beef, veal, pork or chicken – and finely chopped pancetta would be added, too, if there was any in the fridge. Plenty of grated parmesan was scattered on the meatballs at the table.

When I make the recipe I use minced chicken and beef, as I fondly remember my mother combining the two in her sugo. I have replaced Alice's garden-grown tomatoes with good-quality tinned tomatoes, which are more reliably available through the year."