Recipe: Polpette

Hi Nancy - one of the most interesting and authentic cookbooks for Italian food from the Emilia-Romagna is by Lynne Rossetto Kasper called "The Splendid Table." Quite fabulous, if you are into the history of foods, too. I haven't made this recipe, but remembered it from her cookbook when I saw your request. As her book says, "Its long list of ingredients mayh appear daunting, but the patties go together quickly and can be prepared a day ahead."

Her recipe for "Polpette d'Artusi alla Villa Gaidello" is named for an adaptation from a 19th-century cookbook and has the Parmigiano-Reggiano and nutmeg you mentioned. It sounds incredibly delicious! She serves it with "glazed onions" and a little meat stock and balsamic vinegar sauce (which I won't print now, but will be happy to post if you would like). I hope this is what you are looking for!

Artusi's Delight (Polpette d'Artusi alla Villa Gaidello)
Serves 4 to 6

For the Meat Patties:
1 medium onion, quartered
3/4 cup (3 oz.) Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, in chunks
1/3 cup tightly packed Italian parsley leaves
1 small clove garlic
1 large chicken thigh, skinned, boned, and cut into chunks
6 oz. lean pancetta, coarsely chopped
10 oz. lean ground chuck or sirloin beef
1/3 cup currants, soaked 10 minutes in hot water and drained
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tsp. tomato paste
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. brashly ground black pepper
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
4 TBL extra-virgin olive oil

Finely chop the onion, cheese, parsley, and garlic in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, using rapid on/off pulses. Add the chicken thigh and pancetta. Process until finely ground but not pur ed. Turn into a medium bowl. Using a wooden spoon, blend in the beef, currants, pine nuts, bread crumbs, egg, tomato paste, cinnamon, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cloves. Shape the patties with wet hands to form 1 1/2 inch balls. Flatten them to about 3/4 inch thick by gently pressing the balls with the palm of your hand.

Line a cookie sheet with a triple thickness of paper towels. Heat the olive oil in a large saut pan over medium heat. Arrange half the patties in the pan so they do not touch. Slowly brown on both sides, taking about 15 minutes. Turn them gently with two wooden spatulas, taking care not to break them. Drain them on the towels, and repeat with the remaining patties.

Served with glazed onions and a balsamic and meat stock sauce.