ISOLATION MEATBALLS: SIMPLEST MEATBALLS FOR PANTRY COOKING

I’ve been getting a lot of requests for ground beef recipes, so more will come as we are using what we can get and simply have on hand. This is a meatball you can use with any meat (ground beef, pork, chicken, turkey, veal) – and it’s just up here to show you how easy this is. Melissa Clark originated this recipe in the NYT: “Making great meatballs is all about memorizing a basic ratio that you can adjust to suit your taste. Start with a pound of ground meat — any kind will work, even fish if you want to take it in that direction. Add 1/2 cup bread crumbs for lightness, a teaspoon of salt, and an egg to bind it together. That’s all you need.”

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Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.6/5

( 7 voted )

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground meat (pork, beef, veal, chicken, turkey or a combination)
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs, fresh bread (about 2 or 3 slices, processed)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
• Black pepper
• Chile flakes, to taste
• Minced garlic, onion, scallions or shallot
• Chopped parsley or basil
• Olive oil, for frying (optional)

Instructions

BASIC PREPARATION

1. In a large bowl, gently combine all ingredients. Be careful not to over work the meat mixture.
2. Roll into 1 1/2-inch balls. Transfer to a baking sheet.
3. Broil until golden and firm, 7 to 10 minutes. Or fry in oil until deeply browned all over. Sprinkle with more salt before serving.

Notes

Serve with Marcella Hazan's Iconic Tomato Sauce (recipe posted).