Polpette Di Nonna Recipe

Soak breadcrumbs

Place the fresh breadcrumbs in a small bowl and pour the milk over them. Stir and let sit until milk is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Combine aromatics and cheese

In a large mixing bowl, combine the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, minced garlic, minced parsley, minced basil (if using), dried oregano, salt and pepper. Mix briefly to distribute evenly.

Add the ground beef and ground pork to the bowl with the aromatics. Add the soaked breadcrumbs (squeeze out any excess milk if very wet) and the egg. Using your hands, gently mix until just combined—do not overwork the meat or the meatballs will be tough. Mix until uniform but still tender, about 30–60 seconds of gentle folding.

Shape the mixture into evenly sized balls about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches (3–4 cm) in diameter. You should get roughly 18–22 meatballs depending on exact sizing. Place formed meatballs on a parchment-lined tray and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes to firm up (this helps them hold shape during frying).

Set up a shallow bowl with the all-purpose flour and season it lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper. Remove chilled meatballs and roll each lightly in flour to coat—shake off excess. Place floured meatballs on a plate.

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter until the butter melts and foam subsides. Add meatballs in a single layer without crowding (work in batches if necessary). Brown on all sides, turning every 2–3 minutes, about 8–10 minutes total per batch, until golden-brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 70–72°C (160–165°F). Remove browned meatballs to a paper-towel lined plate. They do not need to be fully cooked through if you plan to finish them in sauce, but browning adds flavor; if finishing in sauce reduce pan time to 6–7 minutes.

Wipe out excess fat from the skillet with paper towels, leaving a thin film for the sauce, or use a separate pot for the sauce.

In a large saucepan or the skillet used for frying (with excess fat removed), heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and a pinch of salt and cook until translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown the garlic.

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute to mellow the acidity. Crush the canned whole peeled tomatoes by hand or with a spoon and add them to the pan with their juices. Stir to combine.

Add the dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low.

Return the browned meatballs to the sauce, nestling them into the tomatoes. Add fresh basil leaves on top. Cover partially and simmer gently for 25–30 minutes, turning the meatballs once halfway through, until meatballs are cooked through and sauce has thickened slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.

If serving with pasta, cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup (120 ml) of pasta cooking water before draining.

Toss the cooked pasta with a few ladles of the tomato sauce (and some reserved pasta water if needed to loosen). Plate pasta, top with 3–4 meatballs per serving and spoon extra sauce over them.

Finish each serving with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately.