How to Make Meatballs

Serves 8

Where did the first meatball come from?  No one knows exactly. However there are meatball recipes dating back to the Romans, as found in an ancient recipe book “De recoquinaria libri decem (Cuisine in Ten Books)” written by Marcus Gavius Apicus, who was born in 25 AD. The second book in the set is about mixtures of meat and other
ingredients, one recipe is for meatballs. Apicius’ also rates meats used for meatballs: The ground meat patties of peacock have first place, they are fried so that they remain tender. Well I’m not planning a peacock recipe blog just yet, however feel free to change the ingredients as you wish, the measures are just there as a guide.

Ingredients:
• 1kg (2lb) pound ground (minced) beef
• 1 cup of dry bread crumbs
• Half a cup of milk

• 2 level teaspoons of dried parsley flakes
• 2 finely chopped onions
• 2 eggs
• Salt and pepper to taste
1. Mix all ingredients until well blended
2. Shape into 1 ½ inch meatballs
3. Bake uncovered in 400 degree oven until light brown (20 ‐25 minutes)
4. To pan fry cook over medium heat in a little olive oil, turning occasionally until
brown (20 minutes)

5. Serve as an aperitif with a dip of choice or as a main course. I enjoy meatballs with tomato sauce and french fries! A good glass of Italian red wine works well too.

More about Meatballs for the Foodie!

A meatball is a generally spherical mass of minced meat and other ingredients, such as bread or breadcrumbs, minced onion, various spices or eggs, usually fried in a pan or baked in an oven. Except for shape and size (there’s usually more than one meatball per serving), meatballs are very similar to meatloaf.

Meatballs are distinguished from fishballs (which are usually cooked under boiling water) as well as matzah balls (which are usually cooked in boiling broth or water).

There are many kinds of meatball recipes using different kinds of meats and spices. While some meatballs are mostly made of meat and ingredients to cement the ball, other may include other ingredients. How one makes one’s meatballs and which fat one fries them in depend as much on one’s cultural background as on one’s individual taste.

The ancient Roman cook-book author Apicius included many meat ball-type recipes.

The meatball in an International Context

* Albanian fried meatballs (Qofte të fërguara) include feta cheese.

* Danish meatballs are known as frikadeller and are typically fried, and they are usually made from pork.

* In Germany, meatballs are called Frikadellen (in the North) or Buletten (in the East) or Fleischpflanzerl or Fleischküchle if you happen to be in the South

* In Greece, meatballs are called ‘keftedes’ and usually include within the mix onions and mint leaf.

* In Indonesia, meatballs are called ‘bakso’ which are usually served in a bowl, like soup, with noodles, beancurds (tofu), eggs, ’siomay’, and/or fried meat.

* In Italy, meatballs are known as polpette. Outside of Italy, they are commonly served with spaghetti as in “spaghetti and meatballs”.

* The Japanese hamburger steak hanbagu is based on similar ingredients.

* In Norway, meatballs are called kjøttkaker (”meat cakes”) and resemble Danish frikadeller, but they are usually made from ground beef. The dish is traditionally served with boiled potatoes, gravy, lingonberry jam and/or stewed green peas. Some people also like to add fried/caramelized onion on the side.

* Swedish köttbullar (Swedish meatballs) are made with ground beef or a mix of ground beef and pork, mixed with breadcrumbs soaked in milk and finely chopped onions. They are seasoned with white pepper and salt. Swedish meatballs are traditionally served with gravy, boiled potatoes, lingonberry jam, and fresh pickled cucumber. (In the television show Babylon 5 all alien races have swedish meatballs, although with different names)

* In The Netherlands, a meatball goes by the name ‘gehaktbal’ and is often served with boiled potatoes and vegetables. This combination has been the most common dish in Dutch households troughout history.

* Turkish cuisine features more than 80 types of meatballs (köfte), most being regionally made.

Enjoy these fantastic meatballs! If you liked this recipe for meatballs you will find more on www.videojug.com