Polpette, or meatballs, are a popular dish in Italian cuisine, particularly in the southern regions of the country such as Campania and Sicily. There are a few theories of how polpette came to be. One theory suggests that polpette were invented in the Middle East and brought to Italy by the Arabs during the 8th century while another theory suggests that the dish was created during the Roman Empire. The meat for polpette was often used sparingly and combined with other ingredients to make it go further. The meat used was also often ‘spare’ or leftover meat.
Polpette has been a staple of Italian cuisine for centuries and usually made with ground beef, pork or veal, as well as breadcrumbs, eggs, and various spices and seasonings. Polpette is usually served on its own in a tomato based sauce or soup. However, the pairing of polpette with spaghetti is a version that has been popularised in the United States as it is not common in Italy. However, In Italy, it’s not uncommon to find baked pasta dishes that include polpette as an ingredient.
Nevertheless, despite its uncertain origins and the various ways in which it can be prepared and consumed, polpette remains a beloved dish in Italy, the United States, and around the world. Whether enjoyed on their own, in a soup, or paired with pasta, these meatballs have become a timeless favourite.
STEPS ON POLPETTE
Polpette calls for the use of simple ingredients but it packs a flavorful punch that makes it an ideal recipe for busy weeknights or anytime you want to whip up something easy yet delicious!
Lets get buzzin’:
Polpette:
- Minced meat (beef, veal or pork)
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Salt
- Cilantro / Parsley
- Panko Bread Crumbs
- Egg
- Black Pepper
- Parmigiano Reggiano
Tomato based sauce:
- Brown Onion
- Garlic
- Crushed Tomatoes
- Water
- Salt
- Sugar
- Worcestershire sauce
- Dried / Fresh Basil
- Black Pepper
Start by roughly chopping the cilantro and adding it to a large mixing bowl. Next, combine all the other ingredients for the polpette in the same bowl and mix until well combined. Then, shape the mixture into balls. It’s up to you how big you want the polpette to be, but keep in mind that larger polpette take longer to cook. For this recipe, the polpette were formed into balls that were close to 2 tablespoons in size.
Next, heat oil in a non-stick pan and fry the meatballs until they’re evenly browned on medium high heat. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan and don’t cook the meatballs completely at this stage as they’ll finish cooking later in the tomato sauce. Remove them from heat and transfer to a plate – set aside.
Finely mince the garlic and set it aside.
In a casserole pan, transfer the oil used for frying the polpette and sauté the onions for a minute.
Next, add the garlic and saute for another minute
Then, add canned crushed tomatoes, water, salt, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, dried basil, and black pepper, and stir well. Add the meatballs to the sauce and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the sauce thickens on medium low heat while stirring gently occasionally (to avoid breaking the meatballs).
Once done, remove from heat, and serve the juicy, flavorful polpette covered in the delicious tomato-based sauce by itself, on a bed of warm spaghetti or any pasta of your choice.
Enjoy!
Polpette
Ingredients
Polpette
- 400 grams Minced Meat Beef
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 20 grams Fresh Cilantro Roughly chopped
- 20 grams Panko Bread Crumbs
- 1 large Egg
- 1 tablespoon Black pepper
- 20 grams Parmigiano Reggiano Shredded
- 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
Tomato based sauce
- 1 large Brown Onion
- 4 cloves Garlic Minced
- 850 ml Crushed Tomatoes Canned
- 250 ml Water
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 teaspoon Dried Basil
- 1 tsp Black pepper
Instructions
- Roughly chop the cilantro, mix with other polpette ingredients in a large bowl. Shape into balls (2 tbsp roughly in size).
- Fry polpette in oil until evenly browned but not fully cooked over medium high heat. Remove them from heat and transfer to a plate - set aside.
- Finely mince the garlic and set it aside.
- In a casserole pan, sauté onions for a minute, add garlic and sauté for another minute with the same oil used for polpette earlier. Then add crushed tomatoes, water, salt, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, basil, and black pepper and mix.
- Add polpette to the sauce and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the sauce thickens over medium low heat while stirring gently occasionally to avoid breaking the meatballs.
- Serve the juicy, flavorful polpette covered in the delicious tomato-based sauce by itself or with warm spaghetti or any pasta of your choice.
- Enjoy!
NUTRITION FACTS
Total Fat: 79.15 mg
Sodium: 2054.3 mg
Dietary Fiber: 6.03 mg
Protein: 25.34 g
Vitamin C: 25.32 mg
Cholesterol: 121.8 mg
Carbohydrates: 28.12 g
Sugars: 11.01 g
Vitamin A: 284.02 mcg
Iron: 6.19 mg
Daily values based on a 2,000 calorie diet.