italian family recipes

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The Meatball Argument

I don’t remember the first time I tasted my mom’s homemade meatballs. I was probably a baby. Meatball eating in some Italian families starts early. The flavor? From back then I can’t remember, but I’m sure my “meatball palate” began its well-seasoned and experienced journey from that first moment.

Meatballs in restaurants are always just “okay.” They never have the taste I’m expecting. Never match up to that taste I’ve learned to crave.

Of course, when I started cooking I needed the meatball recipe from my mom. Seems implausible, but her recipe has shifted and changed over the years — keeping to the main standards, but with a tweak here and there.

When I got my hands on her recipe I ended up doing my own tweaks (for years I used to use ground turkey!) (not anymore).

My relatives, all Italian-Americans, have their own household’s favorite meatball recipes. And despite my mom and her sister, Lily, growing up in the same household, their recipes are different — not a lot– but still different.  So much so that it’s well-ingrained in family lore that: Aunt Lily makes the best meatballs.

We all spent last Christmas eve at my cousin Angela’s house (Angela, Lily’s daughter & my first cousin). We animatedly talked about food instead of the latest urgent politics. Food’s more important, you know.

We thought we’d document the mysterious differences between Aunt Lily’s recipe and my Mom’s recipe.  We asked them to explain. They did, in their cutest ever natural style. And we recorded it. Have a look! (And then below, here’s the recipe I use, culled together from all kinds of family input, and then my own I’m-doing-it-my-way decisions.)

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

For the Meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano or Pecorino
2 slices thin white sliced bread
1/3 cup milk
3-4 parsley sprigs, leaves minced
salt & pepper to taste

For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
¼ – ½ cup dry white wine
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Make the meatballs:
Pull the crusts off the bread slices and discard. Rip up the bread middles into a small bowl. Cover with milk. Let soak for about five minutes. Meanwhile, mix the egg, cheese, and parsley with the beef in a large mixing bowl. Lift bread from milk and squeeze out. Add soaked bread (without the rest of the milk) to the meat mixture. Season all with salt & pepper. Mix well to combine.

Line a sheet pan with foil or parchment. Drizzle a thin coat of olive oil on top. Form meatballs – about two inches round or your favorite size – and line them up on the pan. Roast until cooked through, about 25 minutes. Remove from pan to the tomato sauce (see below). Let simmer or just sit in sauce for 10-15 minutes.

Make the Sauce:
Heat the oil in a large sauce pan. Sauté the onion for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add the wine and let evaporate by half. Add the tomatoes. Season with salt & pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add meatballs, simmer 5-10 minutes more. Serve with pasta.

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More Quick Vegetable Ideas

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The vegetable factory keeps cranking in my kitchen. So many of these dishes have been cooking in my family’s kitchens for many years. Try them out!

One: Broccoli with Garlic and Vermicelli. Basically boiled broccoli with a boost from garlic, olive oil, and the addition of a comforting handful of pasta.

Two: Crunchy Zucchini Slices with Mint. Here’s how to wake up zucchini!

Three: Stuffed Mushrooms. Turn mushroom stems into tasty mushroom stuffing.

Four: Mini Peppers with Crunchy Breadcrumbs. These are so delicate, and a savory surprise flavor pop.

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Broccoli with Garlic and Vermicelli

Vege Broccoli1 bunch broccoli

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 pound (or handful) vermicelli or capellini

salt to taste

Cut off the broccoli stems, discard. Cut up broccoli heads into florets with some stem attached. Rinse under cool water.

Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water. Bring to a boil. Add a drizzle or so of olive oil and some salt. Add broccoli. Break up vermicelli into 1-2-inch pieces. Add to pan. Bring back to a low boil and cook until broccoli and pasta are tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain. Adjust for seasoning — if needed, add more salt and/or another drizzle of olive oil.

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Crunchy Zucchini Slices with Mint

Vege Zucchini Slices1 large zucchini, or 2 small

2 eggs

1/4 cup grated parmigiano

1 cup AP flour, or self-rising flour

olive oil for frying (about 1/4 cup in all)

salt to taste

1-2 mint sprigs, stems discarded, leaves torn into smaller pieces

Trim the stem ends off of the zucchini. If large, cut zucchini in half crosswise. Then cut each half into thin slices.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs with grated cheese. Add some salt. Add flour to a different (medium shallow) bowl. Season with salt.

Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan. When hot. Dredge a few slices of zucchini in the flour, then coat each with egg mixture. Add to oil, repeat with more slices until they fill pan in one layer. Fry on each side until golden. Let drain on paper-towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining slices, add more oil to pan if needed. Season fried slices with a little salt.

Transfer cooked slices to serving plate. Garnish with mint.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Vege MushroomsCheck out this easy recipe from an earlier post of mine:

Easy Stuffed Mushrooms

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Mini Peppers with Crunchy Breadcrumbs

Vege Peppers Bread2 cups mini bell peppers

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1 garlic clove, peeled and minced

2-3 sprigs fresh Italian parsley, stems discarded, leaves rough chopped

Salt to taste

Olive oil for drizzling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the stem tops off of the peppers, discard. Slice peppers in half lengthwise, clean out and discard seeds and membrane inside. Line a baking pan with foil. Drizzle a little olive oil on foil to coat.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together breadcrumbs, garlic, and parsley. Season with salt. Drizzle some olive oil to make a “wet sand” consistency.

Fill each pepper with breadcrumb mixture and place each one on the prepared pan in one layer. When pan is filled with stuffed peppers, drizzle a little olive oil on top. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes, until peppers are tender and breadcrumb is golden. Serve hot or at room temp.

Enjoy!!