How to make Friulian Polpette al prezzemolo

What Are Friulian Polpette al Prezzemolo?

Friulian Polpette al Prezzemolo are small, tender meatballs from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region in northern Italy. And they are particularly popular in the Udine area. They are not like the classic red-sauce meatballs of southern Italy. They are generously flavoured with fresh parsley (prezzemolo) and garlic, and then covered in breadcrumbs. This might seem simple a simple recipe, but these meatballs offer a beautifully simple way to experience the flavours of Friuli. You can eat them on their own as finger food or as part of a main meal. Parsley is the star of this dish. It adds a bright, herby quality that complements the ground beef perfectly.

Great Snacks for the Kids

Additionally Friulian Polpette al Prezzemolo make a great snack for the kids. There is no sauce so they are not messy. And they are small, so easy to eat as finger food. And as you determine the quality of the ingredients these can be very healthy snacks that the kids will love.

The Key Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make Polpette al Prezzemolo:

• Ground Meat: Traditional recipes typically call for a mix of beef and pork, but feel free to use either depending on your preference. I prefer beef.
• Parsley: Fresh parsley gives these meatballs their unique flavour. Ideally you should use freshly chopped parsley straight from the garden. But dried parsley would also work.
• Vegetables: Very finely chopped onion and minced garlic add a savoury depth to the meatballs without overpowering the parsley.
• Bread and Milk: Like many Italian meatball recipes, these include soaked bread to make them light and tender.
• Egg: To bind the ingredients together.
• Breadcrumbs: Roll the meatballs in breadcrumbs to give a nice satisfying crunch and nutty flavour.

How to Make Friulian Polpette al Prezzemolo

It is very easy to make Polpette al Prezzemolo and bring the flavors of Friuli right into your kitchen.

Instructions

1. Soak the Bread: First, put the bread cubes in a small bowl and pour over the milk. Let them soak for about 10 minutes until soft, then squeeze out excess milk and crumble the bread.
2. Prepare the Meat Mixture: Then in a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat, soaked bread, egg, chopped parsley, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and 2 tbsps of breadcrumbs. Use your hands to mix until everything is just combined, being careful not to overwork the meat.
3. Shape the Meatballs: Form the mixture into small, round meatballs about the size of a walnut. I found the best way to get a consistent size was to use a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon to measure out a meatball around 15 grams.
4. Cook the Meatballs: You can fry the meatballs in a large skillet. Cook them for about 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. But I prefer to bake them in the oven until brown and crunchy on all sides. This is less hands on, and you can cook more meatballs at the same time.
5. Serve: Enjoy these Polpette al Prezzemolo warm as an appetizer, or serve them with a simple side salad or alongside roasted vegetables as part of a main meal. Or put them in your kids’ packed lunch.

Buon appetito! 🇮🇹

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Polpette al prezzemolo

Ingredients

• 400 grams ground beef
• 1 slice stale bread (crust removed)
• 1 glass milk
• 1 bunch parsley
• 2 eggs
• Salt (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)
• 1 small onion (very finely chopped or grated)
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed or minced)
• 30 grams breadcrumbs (plus extra for rolling)
• extra virgin olive oil

Instructions 

• Pre-heat the oven to 180°C
• Put the bread in a small bowl and over with enough milk to cover. Allow the bread to absorb the milk for 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the milk, and gently squeeze out the milk.
• Put the minced beef, the soaked bread, the eggs, the chopped vegetables, and the breadcrumbs . Season generously with salt and pepper and mix everything well.
• Divide the mixture into small meatballs no bigger than a walnut.
• Add some breadcrumbs to a plate and roll the meatballs so they are evenly coated.
• Bake the meatballs in the oven for 20-30 minutes until they are golden brown, turning them half way through.
• Serve the meatballs hot or cold.