Meatless Pecorino Meatballs

Name: Meatless Pecorino Meatballs
Yield: makes about 60 small polpettine, serving 6 as a main course, 10 or more as a first course, and many more as a buffet appetizer
Ingredients: 8 large eggs; 3 cups fine dry bread crumbs; 3 cups freshly grated pecorino (or half pecorino and half Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, for a milder flavor); 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil (about 20 large leaves); 2 plump garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped; 1 cup vegetable oil, or more as needed; 2 batches (6 to 7 cups) Tomato Sauce (page 385); Fresh basil leaves for garnishing; A heavy-bottomed high-sided skillet or sauté pan, 12-inch diameter or larger, for frying; a heavy saucepan, 6-quart capacity or larger, for finishing the polpettine in sauce

December 9, 2011

These crispy, savory balls, simmering in tomato sauce, are delicious and surprising: though they have all the texture and flavor that a meatball-lover would ask for, there’s not a bit of meat in them—just eggs, grated cheese, and bread crumbs plus garlic and basil. They are certainly a testament to the ingenuity of Abruzzese cooks, who have fashioned the simplest staples of a rustic kitchen into a treat for all occasions. Serve the polpettine as a special snack or party hors d’oeuvre—when they’re freshly fried and crispy, you won’t even need any sauce. And with the sauce, they make a delightful primo or vegetarian main course. A good-quality pecorino for grating is essential here and will give you the most authentic flavor. If you’ve found one you like, use it exclusively in the polpettine and for serving. If your pecorino is sharp and/or salty, substitute Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano for half the cheese in the recipe.

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