Polpettine Recipe

Soak breadcrumbs

Place fresh breadcrumbs in a small bowl and pour 1 tablespoon whole milk over them. Let sit 5 minutes until softened, then stir to combine.

Mix meatball mixture

In a large bowl combine ground beef and ground pork. Add the soaked breadcrumbs, beaten egg, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, chopped parsley, minced garlic, dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Mix gently with your hands or a fork until just combined—avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.

Shape polpettine

Portion the mixture into small meatballs (about 28-30 g each) using a spoon or a small ice cream scoop to get roughly 24 meatballs. Roll between your palms to form smooth balls, slightly compact but not tightly packed.

Brown meatballs

Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add meatballs in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes total. They do not need to be fully cooked through—just nicely browned. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate and set aside.

Sauté aromatics

In the same skillet (wipe out any burned bits but leave the fond), add 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add thinly sliced garlic and the finely chopped shallot. Sauté 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant but not browned.

Add heat and deglaze

Add crushed red pepper flakes and stir for 30 seconds. If using, pour in 60 ml dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Let the wine reduce by half, about 1–2 minutes.

Build the sauce

Add the crushed tomatoes and 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Stir to combine, bring to a gentle simmer. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon sugar if the tomatoes are very acidic. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to thicken slightly.

Finish with meatballs

Carefully nestle the browned meatballs into the simmering sauce in a single layer. Spoon sauce over the tops. Reduce heat to low, cover loosely, and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature ~72°C / 160°F) and flavors have melded. Add torn basil leaves in the last 2 minutes of cooking.

Prepare bread

While the meatballs finish cooking, brush both sides of the bread slices lightly with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.

Grill bread

Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill over medium-high heat. Grill the bread slices 1–2 minutes per side until crisp and charred in spots. Remove and immediately rub the warm bread with the halved garlic clove to impart a subtle garlic flavor.

Plate and serve

Spoon several polpettine and plenty of spicy tomato sauce onto a shallow serving plate. Arrange 2–3 grilled bread slices alongside. Sprinkle chopped parsley and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano over the meatballs and sauce. Serve hot, allowing guests to mop up the sauce with the grilled bread.