Bologna Style Micro Meatballs
Whenever I make these, even if I make 4, 6, 8 times the amount below, which is for 4, every single last one gest eaten up!
The Recipe
250g (about 9 ounces) of finely minced pork (pork is traditional but you can use veal or beef also), 50g (a little under 2 ounces) Mortadella, 3 tbsp. freshly and very finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, 3 tbsp. ricotta , dry breadcrumbs to roll the meatballs in, 1 organic lemon, 1 egg, 1 tsp. powdered cinnamon, 4 tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper
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Chop the Mortadella very fine or whiz in a processor and place in a mixing bowl. Using your clean hands, mix the meat with the ricotta (or substitute butter), 3 tbsp. fresh breadcrumbs, the Reggiano and squish everything together well
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Before you juice the lemon, collect about 1 tbsp of lemon zest ( yellow part only, no white pith) using a micro-planer or zester. Squeeze out about 3 tbsp of the juice. Add 1 tsp. of the zest and half the juice to the meat mixture, along with half a teaspoon powdered cinnamon and the egg, Mix till all is very well amalgamated - you can use a wooden spoon but clean hands are best. Test by smell or taste and adjust seasoning.
The Polpettine should taste of meat with the lemon and cinnamon in the background, not dominating, so go easy and don't overdo them - these flavours should be just detectable and should not overpower the taste of the meat itself.
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Make sure the ingredients are thoroughly blended - I mix by hand squeezing the mixture through my knuckles - and then get ready for the fun part!
If the mixture seems too soft add grated cheese or very fine breadcrumbs, if it seems too hard, then add more ricotta or butter
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Lift up and slap the mixture down several times on to a wooden board or marble counter to lighten the texture. Do it as many times you want to, it's therapeutic and the more the better. If any of the mixture sticks to the board scrape off with a long knife or pastry scraper and return it to the main ball.
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Dampen your hands lightly to prevent the meat mixture sticking to them, take very small amounts of the mixture and roll between your palms to shape into very small balls, small cherry size. Roll them well to prevent cracking when they shrink in the pan later.
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I didn't do this today but if you like you can roll in breadcrumbs or flour to coat. The jiggle the tin about so the Polpettine roll about and coat themselves.
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Leave to wait in the fridge if not cooking at once - the wait helps to firm them up and they fry better - less cracking - if they have a spell in the fridge.
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Fry them all at once in the olive oil, for about 5 minutes till golden. If you are concerned about fat levels use a non-stick pan and you can get away with very little olive oil
And here's something else you can do with these Polpettine, nice summer starter, or lunch, or picnic food.
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