Who’s Hungry for Polpette?
Homemade polpette is a tradition in Puglia Southern Italy, here being served as an antipasto at a traditional Sunday lunch.
When Americans come to Italy for the first time, one of the first things they notice is that many Italian foods we are familiar with in the USA are missing from menus when you sit down at an authentic Italian restaurant.
One of those dishes is spaghetti and meatballs. Contrary to popular belief, spaghetti and meatballs, while delicious and a mainstay of the comfort food scene, is not an authentic Italian dish, but rather an Italian American creation. Don’t ask an Italian in Italy if they like spaghetti and meatballs. Their reaction will be different depending where you are in Italy: at best you get a sympathetic smile, at worst snide comments of disdain.
Actually, meatballs, or polpette in Italian, are actually a staple all up and down the boot. Just don’t serve them with pasta, unless you are in Puglia (or Apulia), the heel of the boot of Italy; the Pugliesi looove their polpette, or meatballs, and, sometimes, even serve them with pasta, although it is usually not spaghetti, and the meatballs are teeny tiny, contrasting with the huge meatballs you find in a typical American spaghetti and meatballs dish.
Let’s explore the world of authentic Italian meatballs, aka polpette, where we have a real Italian meatballs recipe and traditional wine pairings too.
What are Polpette?
To start with a basic definition: polpette (or the singular word polpetta) are balls of meat and/or bread that are fried. Various Nonna, or Italian grandmothers, will debate over breadcrumbs, egg content, spices, sauces, and more. In fact, there are variations of meatballs found throughout various world wide cuisines, from Fleischlaibchen in Austria, klopse in Germany, köttbullar in Sweden, and to albóndigas in Spain and Mexico. Each recipe has its own local twist on the theme, but somehow in the US, the classic Italian version is what we often think of when we say ‘meatballs’.
As we mention above, in Italy, polpette are usually not served as a sauce with spaghetti or pasta. Instead they are more commonly served anywhere else in the meal, from happy hour aperitivo to appetizer antipasti and entrée secondi. They are found everywhere in various forms on Italian menus. It is this versatility that has made a ‘polpette boom’ in Italy, with the last ten years or so seeing an explosion of restaurants serving only polpette. They have become very popular menu items and are commonly seen on many tables throughout Italian piazzas. You can see them in many different variations, made with different meats, vegetables mixed in or as sauces, herbs and spices, the variations are endless. But where did they start?
Meatballs made with a tomato sauce.
While there might not be one definitive ‘origin’ of polpette in Italy (or at least one the different regions won’t begin arguing over), they are commonly associated with Southern Italian cuisine. They are made all sorts of ways, sometimes with more extravagant ingredients, like meatballs made with eggplant, provolone, and mint, which are great as appetizers. But there are versions of meatballs specific to certain parts of Italy, like the frise of Piedmont, meatballs made with pork offal or organ meats and wrapped in pork caul. Meanwhile, in Bologna, you may find in certain off the beaten path trattorias, or osterias, polpette served as an entrée with tomato sauce, peas, and mashed potatoes on the side. It is considered a casalinga dish, or as we say, a comfort food, since it is found usually just in homes and not in restaurants,
But what we think of as ‘meatballs’ are most often found in Pugliese cuisine from Puglia where they are commonly served as an appetizer. According to a real casalinga from Puglia that we spoke with, the secret to a really good polpette is the grated cheese you put in them, specifically a cheese called Rodez. Nickamed the “parmigiano francese,” Rodez is a cows milk cheese, aged for around six months, which has become a staple of Pugliese cuisine, despite it being a French cheese from the Southeast of France.
Wait, why, in Southern Italy people are more likely to use “French parmesan” cheese instead of Italian Parmesan Cheese? After all, Italy is the Parmesan capital of the world, no? It just so happened that 40 years ago, there was a shortage of milk in Puglia, so the Pugliese took upon it themselves to find a substitute. Their journey led to the discovery of Rodez in Southern France, and the rest is history. Practically, only in Puglia will you see Italian cheese being passed over for a French cheese. Rodez cheese does have a sharp taste to it which gives traditional polpette from Puglia a distinctive flavor.
Can’t find Rodez near you? Well, you could substitute it with a good aged pecorino cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano - there are really good Italian cheeses after all…
The Italian Pasta Rules
As mentioned earlier, in some parts of Italy meatballs are served with pasta, but in line with the Italian pasta rules. What does that mean?
In America, we tend to exaggerate with our cuisine in which there is a dominant flavor or food that stands out. In fact, our palettes are used to having big, bold flavors, and this not only impacts our food preferences but also beverages, including, of course, wine.
Meanwhile in Italy, everything needs to be balanced: not too much garlic, not too much spice, etc. Harmony is the key, not only for food, but also wine, and pairings foods. As such real Italian pasta dishes are not smothered with sauce, but instead has just enough sauce to lightly coat each piece of pasta. Likewise, the condiments of the ragu are subtle. Hence a real spaghetti and meatball dish, which, by the way, you usually can only find in the Pugliese or Southern Italian cuisine, has small sized meatballs and just a touch of sauce.
As one last anecdote before we jump into how to make delicious meatballs: did you know that meatloaf is actually related in a way to meatballs? You see, the Italian word for meatloaf is polpettone, or ‘big polpette’. That’s right, a meatloaf is essentially just one gigantic meatball!
But, we digress. Now, back on track: let’s make some meatballs!
Making Polpette at Home
Polpette are surprisingly easy to make at home. In fact, home made meatballs are a great recipe to have in your repertoire, ready to pull out even at the last minute. The basics are to make a ‘dough’ from a meat base and/or bread, form your balls, and then fry them. And presto! You have a delicious meatballs. They are versatile and simple to pull together. And, as mentioned previously, polpette and meatballs are not a ‘one size fits all’ type of food… and just like their serving and flavors are not standard, so, too, is their preparation. There are numerous ways to cook meatballs, aside from our recipe below. Here, we’ve given a few ways to change up the recipe according to personal taste.
Air Fryer: You can choose to also air fry meatballs at 350 degrees for about 5-10 minutes (depending on how big you make them) or until cooked through and well browned.
As an Entrée: Usually served as an appetizer in Puglia, they can also be served as an entrée with sides such as mashed potatoes. When served as an entrée, you can create a fresh tomato sauce to serve over this meatballs recipe.
Crispier: For more of a crunch, you can roll the raw meatballs in bread crumbs before frying.
Less Frying Oil: If you want to use less oil, you can use half the recommended amount, but you must be much more diligent in flipping and tending to the meatballs to ensure they are evenly browned and cooked.
Vegetarian: This recipe can also be made vegetarian by swapping the ground meat for bread, as used in this meatless meatball recipe from Abruzzo.
Pugliese polpette, like from our recipe below.
Wine Pairings with Polpette
Your polpette are frying up, so how do you create a delicious wine and food harmony? When we think about pairing wine and food, we consider the balance of flavors in both the food and wine, of course, but also another type of pairing can be by ‘tradition’ or location. Italian polpette… Italian wine right? Let’s start with wines of Puglia, or Apulia, the origin of the recipe we have below.
Italian winery Domus Hortae, located in Puglia, is run by the Fioretti family and wife Rosanna Melichionda. Offering, of course, one of the Rosé wines Puglia is famous for in the form of Kiaros, a Nero di Troia Rosé wine with fun strawberry and rhubarb fruity flavors, a great sipper wine that keeps you coming back, wonderful for if your meatballs are being served as an appetizer or during happy hour. And Domus Hortae also offers other white wine Italian style to pair with your appetizer style meatballs, like Kimere made from bombino bianco or Ti Estì made from minutolo, both indigenous grapes to Puglia. The fruity characteristics of Kimere or the herbaceous flavors of Ti Estì make great pairings for lighter meatballs, made with lots of cheese for example. For a more entrée centered meatball, maybe with a tomato sauce, try their Kalinero red wine, made with Nero di Troia. Steel aged but still with a nice sandy tannic texture, it will help complement the flavors and counteract the richness of the dish. You can even taste all four of Domus Hortae’s Pugliese wines with shipping included in our Wines of Puglia Explorer Tasting Set.
Moving a little further up the Adriatic coast to the Abruzzo region in Italy, we find Febo, from whom our meatless meatball variation comes. Their natural wines are great options to pair with a whole variety of meatballs. Like the white wine from the trebbiano abbruzese grape, Parella, goes great with any number of polpette variations thanks to a healthy body and touch of fruitiness, it’s a great sipper too. Or the orange-esque wine Rolland is a super fun option to work with their meatless meatballs. This Pecorino wine has a lot of color for a normally white grape variety, with lots of candied fruit and ginger flavors that surprise you when tasting. Of course, we cannot forget Febo’s “chillable red” Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, a deep rosé version of Montepulciano wines, that is even chillable to go with a tomato dipping sauce you serve with your meatballs. Lastly, try to make a Timballo from Abruzzo, which is like a lasagna stuffed with mini itty-bitty meatballs, and pair this impressive dish with their wine Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, their red natural wine offering that filled with earthy flavors balances out great with any meatball, just in general. Explore Febo’s wines all together, too, in the Abruzzo Natural Wine Tasting Set.
Polpette Pugliese, ready to be enjoyed with Rodez and a glass of Domus Hortae wine!
So many great wines… now all that is left is to decide how you want to cook meatballs for your next gathering!
Get Ready to Cook and Pair
Sounds like a feast waiting to happen: authentic Italian wine and home made meatballs.
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Polpette - Italian Meatballs
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef, pork or a mix of the two
½ cup grated Pecorino, Rodez, or Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese
(plus extra for garnish)
1 teaspoon garlic paste
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
2 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper, to taste
Frying oil, as needed
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Il Nostro Oro, Febo, Aurinia, or Caletra)
Some Wine Pairing Examples:
Wines of Domus Hortae from Puglia
Wines of Febo from Abruzzo
Cooking and Prep Time: 30 mins
Portions: 4-8 portions (depending on whether serving as appetizer or entrée)
Procedure:
1. In a large bowl, mix together meat(s), grated cheese of choice, garlic, parsley, eggs, and salt and pepper. Begin to roll equally sized balls and set aside.
2. In a pan, begin to heat your oil. There should be enough to cover your meatballs when submerged. When hot, gently place your meatballs in the oil. Gently stir occasionally to make sure the meatballs do not stick to the bottom or sides and cook evenly.
3. When well browned, remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and set on paper towels to soak up any excess oil. Serve hot right away with an extra grating of cheese or drizzle of evoo for garnish and some dipping sauces.
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