What Is Lidia Bastianich’s Recipe for Meatballs?
To prepare Lidia Bastianich’s meatball recipe, crumble 1/2 pound of ground pork and 1/2 pound of ground beef into a large mixing bowl. Add 1 cup of fine dry breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 1/4 cup of chopped Italian parsley and 2 peeled and chopped garlic cloves.
In a separate small bowl, beat a large egg with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the meat mixture, and mix everything together using your hands. Combine the ingredients well, but do not over-mix. Shape into 1 1/2-inch meatballs.
Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Roll the meatballs in flour so they are lightly coated, then fry them in the oil until they are golden brown. Turn the meatballs constantly to brown all sides evenly for approximately six minutes. The meatballs should be browned but not cooked through. Do not over-crowd the pan. If necessary, brown the meatballs in batches.
Add the meatballs to a pot of prepared tomato sauce, and allow them to simmer in the sauce for at least 30 minutes or until they are no longer pink inside. This recipe serves about six.
