Meatball Recipe

Soak breadcrumbs

Combine the fresh breadcrumbs and whole milk in a small bowl. Let sit 5 minutes until milk is absorbed and breadcrumbs are moist.

Mix meatball ingredients

In a large bowl, add ground beef and ground lamb. Add the soaked breadcrumbs, beaten egg, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, minced garlic, chopped parsley, 1.5 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Mix gently with your hands or a spatula until just combined — avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.

Form meatballs

Portion the mixture into 16 equal pieces (about 40–35 g each). Roll gently between your palms to form smooth round meatballs; do not pack them tightly.

Sear meatballs

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add meatballs in a single layer without crowding (sear in batches if needed). Brown on all sides, turning carefully with tongs, about 6–8 minutes total. They do not need to be fully cooked through — just nicely browned.

Sweat aromatics

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt, cook until softened and translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Build sauce

Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste to the pan. Stir to combine, then add 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp sugar (optional). Bring to a gentle simmer.

Simmer

Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly. Stir in torn fresh basil leaves in the last minute and remove from heat.

Combine with meatballs

If meatballs were seared in an ovenproof skillet, pour the warm pomodoro sauce over the seared meatballs in the skillet, spooning sauce around and over them to coat. If using separate pans, place meatballs in a baking dish and pour sauce over them.

Assemble on forno bread

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Slice forno bread into 4 portions or halve baguette pieces and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Spoon a generous layer (about 2–3 tbsp) of pomodoro sauce onto each bread piece. Top each with 3–4 meatballs (depending on size) and spoon additional sauce over the meatballs.

Add fior di latte

Distribute torn/sliced fior di latte evenly over the meatballs and sauce so that it melts over and between the meatballs during baking.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 8–12 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and bread edges are crisp. For a browned top, switch to broil/grill for the final 1–2 minutes — watch closely to avoid burning.

Finish and serve

Remove from oven, drizzle each portion with about 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, scatter fresh basil leaves over the top, and let rest 1–2 minutes. Serve warm.