Ingredients
- 1 pound ground veal
- 1 large egg
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 4 lemons, zested and juiced
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1/4 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped to yield 1/4 cup, plus extra for garnish
- 4 slices white sandwich bread, soaked in 2/3 cup milk, then torn into chunks
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- All-purpose flour, for dredging
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, combine the veal, egg, garlic, lemon zest, Parmigiano, parsley, and the bread chunks, stirring with a wooden spoon until well mixed. Salt and pepper, to taste.
Using your hands, mold the meat mixture into small meatballs, polpettine, about the size of golf balls. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and dredge each meatball through the flour, shaking off any excess flour.
In a 14-inch saute pan, heat the oil over a medium flame until hot but not smoking. Add the meatballs, and cook over a gentle heat, turning occasionally, until cooked through and golden brown on all sides, about 25 minutes.
Pour the lemon juice over the meatballs when they are cooked, making sure that each meatball absorbs some of the juice and lemon flavor. Garnish with parsley and chili flakes. Serve immediately.
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By crmcmorrow
Denver, CO
on March 03, 2010
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i took the recommendation of the others reviews and only used 1 1/2 of the lemons and this turned out magnificently. even more wonderful is that my kids devoured this meal! for myself and my husband i put a small layer of Puttanesca di Napoli sauce (bought from Spinnelli's in Denver, check online to purchase on the bottom of the plate and then noodles followed by the meatballs. great combo of salty sauce with the lemon juice. thanks mario- this is a keeper!
By ChiGal1962
Downers Grove, IL
on November 28, 2009
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I love these! The lemon on top at the end is phenomenal. And they are very tender, juicy and delicious.
I modify the recipe slightly for my tastes. I use a combo of pork/beef/veal and add some grated onion to the mix. I also use about 2 lemons for 3 pounds of meat (I make a huge batch at a time which is plenty. And I make them really small - about an inch in diameter.
I tried baking them (on a rack over a foil-lined baking sheet for a slightly healthier version. They were almost as good (although not as moist.
They freeze amazingly well. Just put them in the freezer on a parchment-lined baking sheet until frozen, then in a zip top bag. Microwave them for a minute and they're as succulent as ever.
By KarateGirl258
New Hampshire
on August 02, 2008
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These meatballs are phenomenal. They're worthy of the time it takes to make a homemade pomodoro sauce to go with them. I took another reviewer's suggestion and used only one lemon, and I thought they were perfect that way. It would seem that 4 lemons would overwhelm the other flavors in the meatballs and the sauce. So with one lemon, they're superb.
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