Polpette al Sugo

Method

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1. Tear the bread into a bowl, pour the milk over and leave 10 minutes, then squeeze it dry and crumble it.

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2. Mix the bread into the beef, pork, eggs, parmesan, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper with your hands until just combined. Do not overwork it.

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3. Roll into balls the size of a walnut, about 30.

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4. Start the sauce: soften the onion and garlic in the oil 10 minutes, add the tomatoes, salt and basil, and simmer gently while you fry.

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5. Brown the meatballs in the oil in batches over medium-high heat, 4 minutes each batch, turning. They will be raw inside.

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6. Slide them into the sauce as they are done.

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7. Simmer gently, uncovered, 45 minutes, stirring rarely and carefully so they hold together.

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8. Check the seasoning and serve with bread, or over pasta.

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Chef’s Tips

• Bread soaked in milk, not dry breadcrumbs. It is the difference.
• Brown for colour only, 4 minutes. They cook through in the sauce.
• Handle the mixture as little as possible.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Bread
• Spaghetti
• A green salad after

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 4 days and better the next day. Freezes 3 months in the sauce.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.