The Rake Magazine

Like “Le lasange”, meatballs vary from region to region. In Campania the secret is in the pine nuts and raisins. Buone feste!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
• 2 to 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 6 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons raisins, diced
• 1/2 cup Italian parsley, finely cut
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• dash of salt and pepper
• 1 to 2 cups red wine
• 1 quart tomato sauce

Method:
After beating 2 eggs, add cheese, ½ cup of bread crumbs, a dash of salt and pepper, and parsley. Mix well. Add mixture to ground pork. Use your hands to mix the ingredients well. When the mixture has the correct consistency, add pine nuts and raisins. Form meatballs either round or in the shape of an egg.

Note: when preparing meatballs, it is important to obtain the correct texture. You don’t want them too wet or dry. If they are too wet, add some more bread crumbs. If they are too dry, add an egg white.

Add olive oil to a pan and heat. When oil is hot, place meatballs in the pan and cook on one side until a crust is formed. Then, very slowly turn the meatballs from side to side so the entire ball has formed a hard crust. Add red wine to the pan and let it evaporate.

When all the wine has been cooked off, add tomato sauce, cover, and bring to a boil. Leave at a boil for a couple of minutes and then reduce heat to low. Keep loosely covered and simmer for an hour.

Serve with pasta or crusty Italian bread.