Chef Steve was a little touchy when Gourmet magazine suggested he is the meatball king of the world, which isn’t exactly an insult. But back in the day, Martorano wanted people to know he could cook other things well, too. That’s not news to the crowds who wait for tables at his Florida and Vegas Martorano restaurants. Still, the meatballs are amazing.
Recipe from It Ain't Sauce, It's Gravy: Macaroni, Homestyle Cheesesteaks, the Best Meatballs in the World, and How Food Saved My Life by Steve Martorano, published by Alfred A. Knopf 2014
| Servings |
| 18 1 inch meatballs |
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Recipe from It Ain't Sauce, It's Gravy: Macaroni, Homestyle Cheesesteaks, the Best Meatballs in the World, and How Food Saved My Life by Steve Martorano, published by Alfred A. Knopf 2014
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Italian parsley fresh, finely chopped
- 1 pound hoagie rolls stale
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground veal
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper freshly ground
- 2 teaspoons garlic granulated
- 1 egg extra large
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs unseasoned
- 3 cups vegetable oil
Servings: 1 inch meatballs
Instructions
- Finely chop the parley, allow it to dry for 30 minutes in the open air, and set aside. Slice your bread into ½ inch pieces, add water, and mash with your hands until it’s smooth and the water is incorporated, 6 or 7 minutes. The bread should have a firm but doughy texture. Add your beef, veal, pork, salt, pepper and granulated garlic to the bread, knead well until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Add the egg, the Parmigiano, and parsley, kneading again until all ingredients are well combined. Finally, add your bread crumbs and knead well again. Resist the temptation to just throw all the ingredients into a bowl and mix at the same time. The order of procedure in this recipe is very important to the final product.
- Divide and weigh the mixture into balls of 5 ½ ounces, then roll them, using a circular motion between both hands, until your meatballs are round and firm. You will get roughly 18 balls.
- In a 14 inch frying pan, heat the vegetable oil to 324 degrees F. (Use a candy thermometer to gauge the correct temperature.) Once the oil is hot, gently place the meatballs in the oil and cook in batches. The pil should have a slow bubble to it. When the meatballs are light brown in color, flip them over with a pair of tongs, and cook until brown on the other side. The internal temperature of the meatballs should be 150 degrees F.
