I had these balls at an amazing restaurant in NYC called John’s of 12thStreet. It’s as old school as they come and the mirabilia decking the walls makes you feel you’ve stepped onto the set of The Godfather. It’s the classic traditional, nostalgic Italian restaurant reminding you of your nona’s cooking. The fare is not only authentic but delectable.
No matter how many of these you make, the leftovers can hardly be called leftovers, because they’ll be inhaled the moment they touch the plate.
1½ LBS of ground Veal
1 large onion chopped finely
1 TSP of garlic powder
2 eggs
1 slice of wine bread soaked in milk
¼ cup of Pecorino cheese
½ cup of scallions chopped
2 TBSP of Worcestershire Sauce
1 TSP of dried oregano
½ TSP of thyme
1 cup of fresh chopped basil
Salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup of Marsala wine plus 2 TBSP extra
2 to 3 cups of homemade marinara sauce
Ricotta Salata
PREHEAT OVEN TO 400F
In a medium sized skillet add some olive oil with a TBSP of butter and sweat the onions with a pinch of salt. Lower the heat to a simmer till they have caramelized – about 30-40 minutes. Cool down.
In a large bowl add the veal and all the other ingredients with the caramelized onions, the bread squeezing some of the excess milk and 2 TBSP of Marsala wine. Incorporate all the ingredients with your hands but don’t overmix. Form into 1” size balls and placed them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill them for about 1 hour to allow the flavors to marry.
Bake for about 30 minutes until cooked through.
In a pan, melt some olive oil with the butter and add the marsala wine. Reduce the wine for about 2-3 minutes. Ladle a small amount of marinara in the pan and place the balls in the sauce to warm them through.
Spoon some sauce onto a place with 3 balls on top as an appetizer or 5-6 balls for a full meal. Garnish with fresh basil and a sprinkling of ricotta salata or Parmesano-Reggiano.
