Wanda and Giovanna Tornabene run a restaurant in Gangivecchio, their 600-year-old family home in Sicily. This is their second cookbook, and it focuses on home cooking, Sicilian style. Italians are well known for their generous hospitality, and the Tornabene women are great ambassadors. Through dozens of personal stories, some funny, some sad, they invite you into their home to sit at their kitchen table while they reminisce, gossip, educate, and feed you some of the most enjoyable comfort food
Gangivecchio's Sweet-and-Sour Meatballs (Polpettine in Agrodolce di Gangivecchio)
Recipe from:
Sicilian Home Cooking
by Wanda Tornabene, Giovanna Tornabene, Michele Evans Cookbook Heaven at
Recipelink.com
Servings: 6
1 pound ground veal
1 large egg
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley
2 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
In a bowl combine the veal, egg, bread crumbs, parsley, and pecorino and season with salt and pepper. Shape lightly into 1-inch balls (about 36).
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a frying pan. Cook the veal balls over medium heat until brown all over and just cooked through, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and stir in the onions. Season with salt and cook over medium-low heat until the onions are limp, about 15 minutes, stirring often. Don't let the onions brown.
Stir in the vinegar, sugar, and water.
Return the meatballs to the pan and gently turn to coat them lightly in the sauce. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, shaking the pan frequently. Transfer to a serving dish and cool. Serve at room temperature.
