Meatballs and Polenta

easy, fast, perfect for the cold weather.

I’ll address the obvious, I haven’t posted in nearly a year. During that time, I was working on a super-secret, and intensive project that I cannot wait to share with all of you very soon. In addition, thousands more have signed up for this list, it’s heart warming, encouraging, and I’m so excited to be back!

Without turning this or any future mailings into a stereotypical blog post that waxes poetic about “summers by the bay” and “my mom used to feed me this when I was a little boy”, I’ll cut straight to the point.

I’ve rediscovered what I love about cooking, I’ve been at this since W. was president, a bit early for the digital space, but I’m still standing, and I’ve got a lot of culinary hypotheses, perspectives, and angles that are unique, and damn interesting if I may say so myself.

For today - here’s meatballs and polenta, it’s a warming dish, a filling dish, fantastic with a glass of red wine, and can be on the table in 10 minutes, if you pre-make your meatballs.

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For the love of cooking,

Frankie

Meatballs And Polenta

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MEATBALLS AND POLENTA

4-8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

for the meatballs:

1 pound ground pork

1 pound ground lamb

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley (about half a bunch + the tender stems)

2 whole eggs

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (about 4 ounces)

plain breadcrumbs or Panko for consistency. (1/4 cup - 1/2 cup)

salt and pepper to taste

for the polenta:

2 cups yellow corn polenta, such as Bob’s Red Mill

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

for the pomodoro sauce

1 (28 ounce) can of whole peeled tomatoes, crushed or passed through a food mill

4 cloves garlic, smashed

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt to taste

STEPS:

make meatballs:

Preheat your oven to 400ºF

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, lamb, parsley, garlic, eggs, parm, salt, pepper, and mix until combined. Add the breadcrumbs in increments until the mixture just holds together but is still wet and sticky, you may not use it all or at all.

Shape golfball sized meatballs, and place on a parchment paper lined sheet tray. oven sear for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and let meatballs cool. You may taste one. These can either go in the fridge once cooled, or directly into the pomodoro sauce - they are mostly, if not fully cooked, so it’s all about warming and flavoring the sauce from here.

make pomodoro sauce:

In a high sided, medium pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, and once shimmering add the garlic. fully submerge the garlic by tilting the pan, and cook until it’s just turning golden and highly fragrant. Add the tomatoes, and once simmering add the meatballs. cover and cook on low for 10-20 minutes, or until the polenta is ready. Salt to taste just before serving.

make the polenta:

In a large wide pot with sloped sides (ideally) bring 2 quarts + 1 cup of water to a boil, then stream in the polenta while stirring with a whisk. Stir vigorously for 2-4 minutes, or until the mixture comes up to temperature, thickens and begins to splatter a bit. Turn the heat to low, stir only occasionally, and cook until there’s a soft but gritty texture (taste it).

Turn off the heat, mix in the butter, if too thick add 1/2 cup more of water or whole milk. Salt to taste.

plate it up.

Add a big ladle full of polenta to each plate, and top with 4-8 meatballs. Add some more sauce overtop and serve with extra parm.

P.S.

2024 Highlights:

wrote over 100 recipes which you’ll see soon.

Shot “worth the hype” a Tastemade original in New Orleans, Oahu, Las Vegas, Nashville, Miami, and Santa Fe.

Interviewed/Cooked with Martha Stewart and Serigne Mbaye (2024’s James Beard Award for best New Restaurant), Sean Brock, and the Voltaggio brothers on my show!

Rescued a mamma Staffordshire Pitbull named Mia

2nd place at the 2024 Lime Rock Explorer gravel bicycle race. (second year in a row)