The Washington Post
Veal Polpetti With Green Sauce by Deb Lindsey
Original post can be found at The Washington Post online.
A strong dose of red wine vinegar balances the peppery parsley and the salty capers and anchovy in the salsa verde. In the polpetti, veal is a tender base for the cheese and prosciutto to bring big flavor.
You can serve a simple pasta on the side, but eat these meatballs and sauce independent of it.
Make Ahead: The salsa verde can be made up to 2 days in advance.
SERVINGS: 10 LARGE MEATBALLS
INGREDIENTS
- FOR THE SAUCE
- 1 slice white bread
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 cups loosely packed flat-leaf parsley
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 anchovy fillets
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- FOR THE POLPETTI
- 2 pounds ground veal
- 1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 1 ounce)
- 8 ounces plain breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
DIRECTIONS
For the sauce: Remove the crust from the bread (reserving for another use, if desired); tear the bread into pieces and place in a small bowl. Pour the vinegar over them. Let stand for a few minutes or until the vinegar is absorbed, then transfer to a blender or food processor. Add the parsley, garlic, anchovies, capers and oil; puree until smooth. Scrape the sauce into a small bowl, then season with sea salt and pepper to taste, stirring to incorporate. The yield is a scant 1 cup.
For the polpetti: Place an ovenproof platter on the middle oven rack; preheat to 200 degrees.
Combine the veal, prosciutto, cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Shape the mixture into 10 meatballs about 2 inches in diameter.
Melt half of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add half of the veal polpetti and cook until they are browned on all sides and cooked all the way through, 15 to 20 minutes; stir frequently for even browning. The internal temperature should register 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer for medium-rare.
Transfer the cooked polpetti to the platter in the oven to keep them warm.
Melt the remaining butter and repeat the cooking process with the remaining polpetti.
When all of the polpetti are cooked, spread the green sauce on a platter. Arrange the polpetti on top of the sauce. Serve warm.
Nutritional Facts
Calories per meatball (with sauce): 370
% Daily Values*
Total Fat: 26g 40%
Saturated Fat: 9g 45%
Cholesterol: 125mg 42%
Sodium: 1020mg 42%
Total Carbohydrates: 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber: 0g 0%
Sugar: 0g
Protein: 28g
*Percent Daily Value based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Total Fat: Less than 65g
Saturated Fat: Less than 20g
Cholesterol: Less than 300mg
Sodium: Less than 2,400mg
Total Carbohydrates: 300g
Dietary Fiber: 25g
