Date I made these recipes:
March 19, 2017 – for National Meatball Day (March 9, 2017)
A Man & His
Meatballs – The Hilarious but True Story of a Self-Taught Chef and Restaurateur
- with 75 Recipes by John LaFemina
with Pam Manela
Published by Regan – An Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers
ISBN: 13: 978-0-06-085335-8; © 2006
Recipe: Veal, beef, and pork meatballs with ricotta
filling – p. 169-170
Two Meatballs in The
Italian Kitchen by Pino Luongo & Mark Strausman
Published by Artisan
ISBN: 13: 978-1-57965-345-3; © 2007
Recipe: Fresh Pasta with[Veal]Meatballs and
Mushrooms - p. 52
Let me just jump right to the moral of this story: When push comes to shove, make your own
family's damned meatballs on National Meatball Day and just be done with it!
Let me now return you to the beginning of our story, already
in progress. Turns out March 9th
is National Meatball Day. I had no
idea.
Now, it's not that other cultures don't have their own
meatballs because they do, but given that I'm Sicilian, it just seemed logical
to me to make Italian meatballs because that is what I know and love.
My late Aunt Rose has a great meatball recipe. I've made it
a thousand times, but since it is in a family cookbook and not a cookbook that
I purchased, I decided to give it a miss to make something that was in a "cookbook"
cookbook because well, you know, that would be the point of my blog!
So I searched my collection titles for "meatballs"
and came up with the two cookbooks listed above, A Man & His Meatballs, and Two
Meatballs in The Italian Kitchen, and call me crazy, but I do not think it
is too much to expect that two cookbooks containing the word
"meatball" in the title should then include lots of recipes for
meatballs, plural.
I am going to have to start lowering my expectations about
these things because I was way off on my expectations and assumptions.
The first book I pulled off the shelf, A Man and His Meatballs, contained one – ONE – and only one
meatball recipe and it was the one I made. What? Honestly, I was a little disturbed by this
discovery although I will say the recipe was quite tasty. The making of it/them though, was fraught
with peril as you shall see.
The second book I pulled off the shelf, Two Meatballs in The Italian Kitchen, contained six meatball
recipes plus two recipes for meatloaf that were included in the meatball
section. Well now, I don't know about
you, but a meatball is a meatball and a meatloaf is not a meatball, right? Exactly.
Of the meatballs listed in this book, here were our choices
as listed in the Recipe Index:
- Pan-fried: In a word, yawn. These days, I either bake my meatballs or I immerse them into the tomato sauce or chicken broth so they can gently "poach." I like the taste better and it is less messy that way.
- Veal Meatballs with Green Apple: I cannot. I just cannot with this recipe. Ugh.
- Meatballs with Spaghetti
- Fresh
Pasta with [veal] Meatballs and Mushrooms: this is the dish I made and it worked
out fine...eventually
- And then there were your dueling meatloaf recipes, one from Mark and one from Pino, your two authors.
Now let me just say that in the past, I've made two recipes
at a time without much of a hiccup but today was not that day. I am big enough to accept 80% of the blame
because of things I did or did not do to move these recipes along, but the
other 20% has to fall on the recipe/cookbook's authors because it just does! It can't be all my fault, right? If anything, I am guilty of being
overambitious although I didn't realize that until the whole saga was over and
done with.
Let's start out then, talking about some of the issues
starting with the first recipe for the Veal,
beef, and pork meatballs with ricotta filling. This recipe (I made a half recipe) called for
meatballs the size of apples and I just could not bring myself to do that to a
meatball and so I made them about golf-ball size. This may have been why the [smaller]
meatballs were a tad overcooked as I didn't adjust the cooking size from 60
minutes to something less than 60 minutes.
Then there was the filling which was supposed to be light
enough (my interpretation) to pipe into the meatball using a pastry bag. Again, no.
What I did instead was to cut off the top of the meatball, spoon on
(more like paste on) some filling and put the top on so that it looked more
like a meat cream puff than anything. So
when it came to looks, this recipe failed, but the flavor was there except for
the slight toughness of the meatball. I
can live with that.[1]
The [veal] meatballs used in the Fresh Pasta with [Veal] Meatballs and Mushrooms (and peas) recipe
was another matter and we must discuss this, we must!
I could probably count on one hand – make that two fingers –
the number of times I've made a meatball recipe using just veal, but I'm not a
fan. Why? Because in my [limited] experience, I don't
think veal alone hangs together in a meatball very well, even with the addition
of bread crumbs. Veal plus beef or pork,
like the first meatball recipe I made, turned out much better but these turned
into kind of a mess. In the end, I
improvised and the dish turned out just fine but the meat sure didn't resemble
a meatball as was intended by the recipe and the author.
Like I said at the beginning, I should have just made my
aunt's very delicious meatballs and called it a day.
If by now you are scared off by these recipes (don't be—it
was mostly me), then head back to each book to find alternates to each dish as
there are plenty. Let's start our
discussion then, with the contents of A
Man and His Meatballs.
This book is half stories, half recipes. The story portion is all about the creation
of his restaurant, Apizz, now closed, and all the trials and tribulations that
come with restaurant creation, and let me just say that what was true then
(2006), is true now: opening a
restaurant is hard work and costs a fortune. For those of you who think
(erroneously) that this would just be a "dream come true," please
read then re-read then re-read again the first half of this book.
Okay, end of the "fair warning" section. Part II of this book is filled with recipes
for "Appetizers & Antipasti," "Soups;"
"Salads;" "Pasta & Risotto;" "Meats &
Poultry;" "Fish;" "Basic Recipes (like sauces, etc.),"
and "Desserts," and honestly, I am pretty hungry right now. My only critique, and it's small, is I wish
he had swapped out other pasta dishes for the risotto and gnocchi recipes
included here. That said, he paired gnocchi
with "Honey-Braised Short Ribs" (p. 153) and I am all about short
ribs so there's that.
Like I said before, had I just made his apple-sized
meatballs as directed, this would have likely been a home run. Live and learn.
As to Two Meatballs
in The Italian Kitchen, this book is fun because these two
"meatballs" (I keep thinking of the word "goombah" which
has several meanings but I'm settling on "close friends") each
include their favorite recipes for all kinds of dishes, some of which may
appeal to you more than the pasta dish I made (which again, was good, if not
nothing like they intended). Here is
there Table of Contents:
- Stand-Alone Soups
- The Great Meatball Debate
- Dried Pasta and the Unification of the Two Meatballs
- Fresh Pasta Like Mama Used to Make: Essential Techniques and Well-Matched Sauces
- Risotto and Farrotto (Farro is a grain)
- Two Meatballs Go Fishing
- Meat and Poultry: Rustic Oven Cooking
- Cucina al Fresco: Grilling Italian-Style
- The
Twenty-First Region of
- Sunday Means Dinner
- The Two Meatballs Go Veggie
- Dessert at Last
I'm intrigued by the chapter about Italian-American Cooking
because Pino came to the US
from Italy and like a lot of
chefs from the "homeland," comments about the hybrid cooking
developed by other Italian/Sicilian immigrants to America . Even my own grandparents adapted their
cooking to their new homeland, especially once the grandchildren came on the
scene. They still kept some of their
homeland favorites but there was not one grandchild who didn't turn up a nose
at the thought of eating tripe so there it is.
Okay, then, you can do the extra-curricular reading on your
own and select other recipes if you choose, but here then, are meatballs
"two ways" for National Meatball Day.
Veal, Beef, and Pork
Meatballs with Ricotta Filling – 8 to 10 servings- from A Man and His Meatballs
For the meatballs:
3 cups cubed crustless filone or regular Italian bread
(about ½ loaf)
1 pound ground veal
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork (Ann's
Note to Twin City
1 egg
½ onion, chopped
¼ chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
1 ½ cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Pinch of oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups Basic Tomato Sauce (p. 197) (Ann's Note: I thawed some of my own sauce that I had in
the freezer so I skipped this step. You
can use your own sauce in whatever form that takes, or you can make his sauce,
ingredients and recipe below.)
For the stuffing:
1 cup ricotta cheese
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 ½ teaspoons salt
Black pepper to taste
To finish the meatballs:
1cup Basic Tomato Sauce
½ cup ricotta cheese
¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
For the sauce (makes 5-6 cups):
¼ cup chopped shallots
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
¼ cup olive oil
Two 28-ounce cans whole plum tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons salt
Pinch of black pepper
Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
To make the sauce:
In a large stockpot over medium heat, cook the shallots and
garlic in the oil until they soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, salt, black
pepper, red pepper, and ½ cup of water.
Raise the heat to high and cook for 30 minutes, stirring
occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes slightly with a wooden spoon. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 30 to
45 minutes. The sauce can be stored in
the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. (Ann's Note: you will need about 3 cups of this sauce for
a full meatball recipe.)
To make the meatballs:
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Run the cubed bread under water and gently squeeze out the excess
liquid. Put the bread in a large mixing
bowl. Add the remaining meatballs
ingredients to the bowl, except for the tomato sauce, and mix well with your hands. Divide the mixture into 8 equal
portions. Using your hands, roll each
portion into a large round meatballs, about the size of an apple. Place the meatballs in a medium to large
baking dish. Ann's Note: recall if you will, my comment from above which
was that I decided not to make my meatballs the size of an apple, opting
instead for golf balls. I think I should
have stuck with apples as the smaller-sized meatballs were a tad overdone. Plus, my golf game sort of stinks which
should have been another sign.
In a separate bowl, combine 2 cups Basic Tomato Sauce (see
above) and 2 cups water. Spoon the tomato sauce and water mixture over the
meatballs until the liquid comes three-quarters of the way up (if more liquid
is needed, add water). Cover the baking
dish with aluminum foil and bake the meatballs for 1 hour, turning the dish
after 30 minutes. Remove the baking dish
from the oven, drain and discard the liquid, and let the meatballs cool to room
temperature. (The meatballs can also in
the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
To make the stuffing
Combine the ricotta cheese with the Parmigiano, salt, and
pepper in a medium mixing bowl.
Using an apple corer or small knife, core out a hole to the
bottom of the meatball that is about ½ inch in diameter. Fill the hole with the cheese mixture, use a
pastry bag).
Ann's Note: As I
mentioned above, this step did not go as planned. First, my meatballs were just a tad overdone
and boring a hole big enough to pipe the mixture into just wasn't going to work
too well. Second, the mixture was just a
tad thick for a pastry bag. I'm not sure
if what I made was what the chef/author intended, but he wasn't here coaching
me along so there you go. Third, if we
were having company, I might have tried to go along [with the recipe
directions] to get along, but we were not having company, and so, dear reader,
I punted. I cut the top off the
meatball, spooned a ton of the mixture into my non-apple-sized meatballs, put
the top back on and that was that, no apologies.
To finish the meatballs
Spoon the 1 cup of tomato sauce evenly over the meatballs
and heat for 10 to 15 minutes at 350F.
Remove the pan from the oven.
Place 1 tablespoon of ricotta cheese over top of each meatball (it
should look like the cheese is oozing out of the center), sprinkle with
Parmigiano cheese, and heat for an additional 3 minutes.
Ann's Final Note: This
step never happened and not just because I ran out of ricotta, but because I
ran out of patience as well. All that said, the taste was great and they didn't
look too bad, but these suckers in no way resembled the photo in the cookbook
and you probably shouldn't expect yours to, either!
Fresh Pasta with
[Veal] Meatballs and Mushrooms (and peas!) – serves 6 as main course
For the meatballs
8 ounces ground veal
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 large egg yolk
½ cup bread crumbs
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the rest of the dish
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
(optional)
1 medium onion, chopped
12 ounces white button mushrooms, wiped clean, stems
removed, and sliced ½ inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups fresh sweet peas or thawed tiny frozen peas
½ cup cups vegetable stock or vegetable broth made with
Knorr powdered bouillon (Ann's Note: I used
chicken stock because I had just enough on hand.)
6 fresh mint leaves
1 ½ pounds pasta all chitarra or tagliolini made from Fresh
Egg Pasta Dough (p. 94) Ann's Note: These two fresh pastas are similar to
spaghetti and I used the dried spaghetti I had on hand. It saved time and possibly saved my husband
from another round of my swearing!
To finish it
4 tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
½ cup pasta cooking liquid
Place the meatballs in a large bowl, add the Parmigiano, egg
yolk, bread crumbs, garlic and parsley, and season well with salt and
pepper. Mix thoroughly but delicately so
as not to compress the meat, which would toughen it.
Take a piece of the meat mixture about the size of a small
grape and roll the mixture between the palms of your hands into a small
ball. Place on a plate, and repeat with
the remaining meat mixture.
Line a large shallow plate with paper towels. Set aside.
Heat 1 cup of the olive oil in a 10- to 12-inch skillet over
medium heat. Place only as many
meatballs in the pan as you can without crowding them and panfry until browned
and crisp on one side, about 3 minutes.
Flip and cook until the other side is browned and crisp, about 2 minutes
more. Remove the meatballs from the pan
with a spatula and place on the prepared plate to drain. Repeat with any remaining meatballs.
Ann's Notes [brace
thyself]: This all started out well but quickly broke down in the making
thereof. Let's start with the meatball
size itself as I feel like this got the whole ball rolling downhill in a
hurry. The recipe said to shape the meat
mixture the size of a small grape, and maybe I used the wrong-size
"grape" as my model for the size of my meatballs because they were
hard to handle. They looked pretty but
when I tried to flip those suckers after the requisite three minutes, they
stuck to the pan and nothing short of dynamite got them off the bottom. I tried a small spatula, tiny tongs,
regular-size tongs – nada. So while a few meatballs here and there held their
shapes, the rest started to fall apart. And
so this is when I had my "Psycho" moment which is to say I got out a
plastic meat chopper and just started hacking away at those grape-sized
meatballs that were both sticking and disintegrating at the same time. Let me
add that as I was tacking out my wrath on the poor meatball, Andy gave me a
look that said "Are you crazy?" while at the same time backing away
from the stove! Once I satisfied myself
that the meat (now resembling ground beef) was cooked, I removed it to the
paper towel as directed to drain and then carried on below.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in another large
skillet over medium-high heat. Add the
onion and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and
pepper, and sauté 5 minutes. Add the
peas, toss and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 2 to 3
minutes. Add the stock and mint and cook
for another 5 minutes. Taste and, if
necessary, adjust the seasoning. Add the
meatballs, toss well, and set aside, covered, to keep warm. Ann's
Note: Well, all these instructions are
well and good but that's not how I did it.
I think I let the onions cook for 4 minutes but then I shorted the time
on the mushrooms, added the peas before they were ready, added stock...then
more stock...then more stock to prevent everything from sticking (still, and
with the temperature as low as I could get it), skipped the mint, added the
meat mixture back to the dish, heated for a minute or so, then served. Mama ain't got time to play today!
Fill a 10-quart stockpot with 7 quarts of water. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and bring to a
boil. Add the pasta and cook until al
dente.
To finish the dish, reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid,
then drain the pasta and stir it into the sauce. Add the butter, the Parmigiano, and a few
tablespoons of the reserved cooking water, and heat over very low heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then toss
thoroughly, drizzling with more olive oil if desired.
Ann's Final Note: By this time, I just wanted to eat, already
and so skipped adding the butter and the Parmigiano. As I told my husband, the other meatball dish
has ricotta and Parmigiano so did we really need more calories in this
dish? We did not! In hindsight, I should
have just committed to making one dish or the other, but not both, but I
didn't and so then had to run with several Plan B's during my time in the kitchen. Nobody died in the making thereof, but like I
said, I should have just stuck with my aunt's recipe and called it a day. Who knew National Meatball Day would be so
educational? Not I, reader. Not I!
[1] By
the way and this is Breaking News: I
just now discovered a video of chef/author John LaFemina making these signature
meatballs with Martha Stewart and oh sure, now I find it!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp2R5RPVlaA
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