lulu's dish: Italian Polpette

Everyone has their own go-to recipe for Polpette, or better known to most as meatballs. After years of trying recipe after recipe in search of the perfect meatball, I began to get frustrated. The texture was either off or the flavor was not all the way there...simply said, something was always missing. That is when I started mixing, combining and editing recipes. I used my favorite parts of each recipe until this final version was reached. I must say that this final version was well worth the wait.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground sirloin
1/2 lb. ground pork
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tbsp.)
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. marjoram
1/4 cup bread crumbs (preferably homemade from day old bread)
4 basil leaves, roughly chopped (1 tsp.)
2 tsp. flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1/4 cup good freshly grated Parmasan-Reggiano
1 egg
1 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. ketchup
Olive oil
Vegetable oil

Directions:
(Yields 20-22)
1. In a large mixing bowl, place ground sirloin, ground pork, garlic, salt, pepper, nutmeg, marjoram, bread crumbs, basil, parsley, and grated parmesan.

2. In a small mixing bowl beat egg. Then, add milk and ketchup. Whisk together.

3. Add liquid mixture to large mixing bowl.

4. Using your hands, combine wet and dry ingredients until fully incorporated.

5. Shape into 1"-2" meatballs using hands. Should yield about 20-22.

6. In dutch oven, pour in olive oil until 1/2" deep. Then add vegetable oil until two oils combined reach 1" deep.

7. Heat oil. Test with drop of water before adding meatballs.

8. Add 4-5 meatballs at a time. You do not want to crowd them.

9. Cook for 2-3 minutes then turn meatballs over. Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes. Meatballs should be golden brown, but not fully cooked through. Remember to cook them in batches.

10. Remove from oil and place on plate lined with paper towel. This helps to drain excess oil.