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    simona's Handcrafted polpette Recipe

    calabria, italy

    serves 6 amici

    Simona's Polpette or Italian Meatball Recipe, Calabria, Italy

    Infused with fresh, sweet tomato sauce, Simona's Calabrese "Polpette" aka Meatballs are soft, juicy and delicious. The sauce is homemade and the meatballs are handcrafted. Check out Simona's traditional recipe below!

    As a child, Simona spent her time in the kitchen with her mother, Stella, learning how to cook the traditional recipes of her family and those of Calabria. Growing up, Simona's family raised pigs throughout the year and in January, they would slaughter the pigs and use every single part of the animal. To this day, Simona helps her family with the preparation of the meat from the pigs. Simona says her specialities are the sauce and the ribs. We ask Simona what her son's favorite recipe is and she declares with a glowing smile: "Le mie polpette!"

    Simona and her son making the Polpette
    • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

    • 1 Onion - diced 

    • 3 Bay Leaves

    • 1 Stalk Celery - shredded

    • 1 Carrot - shredded

    • 2 lbs 10 oz  of Whole Peeled Tomatoes

    • 1/2 lb Ground Beef

    • 2 Sprigs Parsley

    • 1/2 Handful Breadcrumbs

    • 1 Handful Finely-Grated Hard Sheep's Cheese, like Pecorino Romano 

    • 1 Eggs

    ingredients

    Tomato sauce:

    • In a deep sauce pan add 1 Tbsp of olive oil, 1 diced onion, 3 bay leaves, 1 shredded stalk of celery, and one shredded carrot. Place the pot over medium-high heat, occasionally stirring. This is your soffritto. 

    • Once the onion is transparent, crush the tomatoes and add them and a pinch of salt to the soffritto.

    • When the sauce begins to boil, turn the heat down to a simmer and stir occasionally. After 15 minutes of simmering, cover the sauce and cook for another 30 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes (sauce should still be at a simmer). Salt to taste. 

    ​

    Meatballs:

    • In a mixing bowl add the ground beef, 2 eggs, 2 sprigs of parsley, pinch of salt, one handful of bread crumbs, and one handful of pecorino.

    • Mix using your hands until all of the ingredients are even throughout.

    ​​

     

    combining the sauce and Meatballs:

    • After 45 minutes of cooking the sauce, add a ladle of the sauce ( ~ 1 cup) to the meatballs and incorporate the sauce into the meat.

    • Using your hands, shape the meatballs by rolling a golfball size of meat into a ball.

    • Once formed plop the meatballs into the sauce, cover the pot and cook over medium heat. 

    Made with Love Tip: Because the meatballs are very fragile, do not mix them with a cooking utensil, instead mix the pot by shaking it back and forth. 

    • Allow the meatballs to stew in the sauce for 1 hour before serving. 

    Made with Love Tip: Cut one of the meatballs in half to ensure that the meat is cooked in the center.

    • Enjoy Simona's Meatballs, Made with Love.

    simona's polpette recipe photos

    Purèed Onions frying - Simona's Polpette - Italian Meatballs Recipe
    Chopped Celery and Carrots - Simona's Polpette - Italian Meatballs Recipe
    Frying the vegetables - Simona's Polpette - Italian Meatballs Recipe
    Simmering Homemade Tomato Sauce - Simona's Polpette - Italian Meatballs Recipe
    Meat - Simona's Polpette - Italian Meatballs Recipe
    Adding eggs and parsley to the meat - Simona's Polpette - Italian Meatballs Recipe
    Adding the breadcrumbds and cheese - Simona's Polpette - Italian Meatballs Recipe
    Mixing the seasoning into the meat - Simona's Polpette - Italian Meatballs Recipe
    Adding the homemade tomato sauce to the seasoned meat - Simona's Polpette - Italian Meatballs Recipe
    Take a golf ball size of meat in your hands - Simona's Polpette - Italian Meatballs Recipe
    Roll the meatballs in your hands - Italian Meatballs Recipe
    Plop the meatballs into the homemade tomato sauce - Simona's Polpette - Italian Meatballs Recipe
    Cover and allow to cook - Simona's Polpette - Italian Meatballs Recipe
    Shake the meatballs every 5 minutes to ensure they do not burn - Simona's Polpette - Italian Meatballs Recipe

    Eat with Love

    Written by The Recipe Hunters:

    Leila Elamine and Anthony Morano

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