Italian Meatballs

By Flyer920

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound stale country bread such as ciabatta, crust removed and torn into large pieces about 2
• packed cups
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 2 medium garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• "4 teaspoons kosher salt "
• 1 pound ground beef ground chuck works great
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 pound ground veal
• 1/2 medium sweet onion such as Maui or Vidalia, minced
• 3 large eggs
• 6 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley from 1/2 bunch
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano from 1/4 bunch
• 6 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Details

Adapted from chow.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Place torn bread in a small bowl and cover with milk. (Push bread down so it all gets moistened.)
Let soak until most of the milk is absorbed and bread is broken down, about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place garlic and fennel seeds on a cutting board and sprinkle all of the pepper and salt
on top. Chop mixture until it is a rough paste (it will resemble cornmeal).

3. Place meats in a large bowl and mix until evenly combined, about 3 minutes. Add bread and any
remaining milk and mix until bread is fully incorporated (break up any bread chunks). Add onion and
mix well. Add eggs and mix until just incorporated. Add garlic-fennel paste, parsley, oregano, and
grated cheese and mix until very evenly combined.

4. Roll a handful of meat mixture between your hands until it’s smooth, compact, and round. (Each
meatball should be about 2 inches in diameter.) Place meatball on a dish and repeat until you have
used up the meat mixture. (You should have about 30 meatballs.)

5. Heat a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Once heated, place meatballs in the pan, leaving
about 1/4 inch between each one. (You may have to do this in two batches.) Let each meatball brown
on one side, and then turn when it is very brown. Keep turning until meatballs are well browned on
all sides, about 20 minutes.

6. Transfer meatballs to a Dutch oven or a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a tightfitting lid, cover