One of the most beloved foods the whole world over is the meatball. In southern Italy the middle east influences on the cuisine can be seen a mile away. Nuts and dried fruits are an integral part of the cuisine which is the direct result of so many various invading cultures. The invaders may be gone but they left some seriously good food ideas which include meatballs. Southern Italians are masters of the vegetable and vegetable cookery but give them meat and they rise to the occasion. These meatballs are no different. Pork and beef are combined with breadcrumbs, Pecorino-Romano cheese, parsley and eggs along with pine nuts and currants to create a sublime meatball experience. The use of breadcrumbs may seem excessive but in this case the southern Italians got it right. Not only did they use the breadcrumbs to extend the meat because it was so expensive and hard to come by, they knew how to do it so that the panade in this case made the meatballs tender and moist without compromising on flavor. Join Chef G.S. Argenti as he makes these delicious and iconic meatballs and teaches you all the little tricks to make them delicious.
