Watch two videos:
Lesson 5, Part 2: Ingredients and Vocabulary
Lesson 5, Part 3: Cooking Instruction
Le Polpette di Carne, di Tonno e Vegetariane/Meatballs, Tuna Balls, Vegetarian "Meatballs"
Ingredienti
Listen to a list of the ingredients for this week's dish.
Ascolta e ripeti./Listen and repeat (MP3 - 3.8MB)
Polpette di Carne/Meatballs
Ingredients
- la car-ne di man-zo ma-ci-na-ta
- Il ma-ci-na-to
- la sal-sic-cia
- ci-pol-la
- a-glio
- il par-mi-gia-no
- il prez-ze-mo-lo
- l'uo-vo
- il pan-grat-ta-to
- l'er-ba ci-pol-li-na
- il ton-no in sca-to-la
- la ri-cot-ta/a light cheese (literally "cooked twice". Most recipes in which you use cream cheese, you can use ricotta instead and it is much lighter.)
- la no-ce mos-ca-ta/nutmeg
- la lat-tu-ga
- l'in-sa-la-ta ro-ma-na
- il po-mo-do-ri-no
- l'a-ce-to bal-sa-mi-co
Ingredienti Per 2 Persone
- 200 g di carne macinata (ground meat; we used a mix of beef and sausages with the skin removed)
- 1-2 cipolle/onions
- aglio/garlic (as much or as little as you like)
- olio d’oliva/olive oil
- parmigiano grattugiato/grated parmesan cheese
- prezzemolo/italian parsley (1 bunch)
- sale
- spezie/spices (include noce moscata/nutmeg)
Optional:
- pan grattato/bread crumbs)
- One uovo/egg
- passata di pomodoro/strained tomatoes
- zucchero/sugar
Preparazione/Directions
You can cook the meatballs in three different ways: deep fried, sautéed or in tomato sauce.
This recipe is for the last two options. If you want to fry them, follow the same steps (2→5) then deep fry them and drain the oil on paper towels.
- In a large pan prepare a soffritto/sweat with chopped garlic and onions. If you plan to use tomato sauce you can make the sweat with very little oil; otherwise you can use a couple of spoonfuls of olive oil and more onions or other veggies (e.g. carrots, celery).
- In the meantime, mince the rest of the onions and the parsley.
- Combine the ground meat, minced onions, parsley, a pinch of salt, and your favorite spices.
- Optional (more heavy): add some bread crumbs and one egg.
- Make small meatballs: if they are smaller they cook faster. I like them the size of a walnut.
- Add the meatballs to the sweat, increase the heat and saute until brown on all sides, and all the water they release evaporates.
- (over 21: add a glass of red wine and simmer until the alcohol is evaporated)
- Le polpette sono pronte!/ The meatballs are are ready!
- If you like them in tomato sauce, take a box of plain strained tomatoes (e.g. Pomì) and mix with the meatballs. Add salt and a little of sugar. Let simmer for about 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick.
In the U.S. meatballs are usually served on top of pasta. We typically serve meatballs as a second course, with some veggies as a side.
In class we made a salad with lattuga/insalata romana/romaine lettuce, pomodorini/cherry tomatoes and the basic italian condimento/dressing: salt, extra virgin olive oil, and vinegar or a little lemon juice.
Polpette Di Zucchine/Zucchini Balls
Ingredienti Per 2 Persone
- Two zucchini
- One spicchio di aglio/garlic clove
- One uovo/egg
- Pan grattato/Pangrattato (Pan for pane=bread, grattato=grated→bread crumbs)
- 50 g pecorino romano grattuggiato (grated). You can also use parmesan instead, or another hard cheese
- One bunch of erba cipollina/chives. Good alternatives: mint or parsley
- spezie/spices e.g. a tiny bit of nutmeg and/or cardamom, curry (not used much in the Italian kitchen)
- olio d’oliva/olive oil
- sale (salt)
Preparazione/Directions
- Make a soffritto/sweatwith garlic (minced, or in disks, or as a whole, based on your taste).
- In the meantime wash and grate the zucchini.
- When the garlic is a little translucent, add the grated zucchini and cook at high heat, add salt and spices.
- When most of the water from the zucchini is evaporated, remove from heat and let cool.
- Pre-heat the oven at 200 degrees C (about 400 degrees F) C=Celsius or centigradi.
- In a bowl combine the zucchini, mix with the egg, grated cheese, minced chives. You can use your hands to mix everything. Optional: you can add roasted pine nuts.
- Add the plain bread crumbs: you want to add them to get a more solid consistency, but if you add too many bread crumbs the zucchini balls will be hard and less tasty.
- Make zucchini balls of about one inch in diameter.
- Optional: you can gently roll them in bread crumbs
- Take an oven tray and spread a thin coat of olive oil.
- Cuocere in forno a 200 degrees C (circa 400 degrees F) for about 15 minuti.
Polpette Di Tonno/Tuna Balls
Ingredienti Per 2 Persone
- 200 g tonno in olio d’oliva/canned tuna in olive oil
- One uovo/egg
- 30 g parmigiano grattuggiato/grated parmesan
- 100 g ricotta cheese
- 50 g pan grattato/pangrattato (Pan for pane=bread, grattato=grated→bread crumbs)
- Optional: prezzemolo/Italian parsley, 1 bunch
- spezie/spices
- olio d’oliva/olive oil
- sale/salt
Preparazione/Directions
- Drain the tuna.
- In a bowl combine the tuna, grated parmesan, egg, ricotta, spices, bread crumbs, and a pinch of salt. If you want, include some minced leaves of parsley.
- Make tuna balls of the size of a cherry tomato.
- Saute them in a large pan with very little olive oil until golden.
- Alternatively, you can bake them.