Polpette Di Lupo

Here are the step-by-step instructions for Mario Batali's Meatless Meatballs and sauce.

1 lb stale country bread, crusts removed and cut into thick slices
1 1/2 cups milk
3 large eggs
1/2 cup grated Pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 bunch Italian parsley, leaves chopped to yield 2 tablespoons
1 bunch basil, leaves chopped
1 garlic clove, minced fine
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Since I was serving this with gluten-free pasta, I thought I should make the meatballs using gluten-free bread. I found a great recipe on www.food.com for gluten-free bread in a bread machine.

I made the bread earlier in the week, then sliced it into thick pieces and laid them on a wire rack to dry out. 

Tear the slices into smaller pieces and put in a large mixing bowl with the milk. Allow to sit until the bread is soaked through. Then squeezed dry and put the slices into the food processor. Using quick pulses, make 4 cups of bread crumbs (this only took about half the loaf).


Dump the remaining milk out of the large mixing bowl and wipe out. Now add the crumbs back into the bowl. Then add the eggs, cheese, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix just like you would any other meatball or meatloaf. Form into round balls about 1 inch in diameter (the recipe said 2" but I was serving a dozen people and wanted them to stretch further). Set aside on a wire rack to dry for about 15-20 minutes.

In a saucepan or deep skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil to frying temperature, about 360 degrees F. Fry the bread balls until brown on all sides. Remove the balls as they brown and drain on a rack covered with paper towels.

Now on to the tomato sauce. This Mario's basic tomato sauce. Now, I'm used to making sauce with lots of spices, garlic, and onions, and then letting it cook for hours on the stove. So I was a little apprehensive when I saw this recipe, but thought I would at least give it a try.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
2 (28 ounce) cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and light brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add the thyme and carrot and cook until the carrot is quite soft, about 5 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and their juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce the heat and simmer until as thick as hot cereal, about 30 minutes. Season with kosher salt, to taste.
 

 

The sauce was actually quite delicious! It was like tasting a tomato right out of the garden. Fresh and juicy and not masked by spice. Plus the basil, parsley and thyme in the meatballs kind of evened things out.

Here I've poured the sauce over gluten-free pasta and topped with the meatballs and more fresh basil. I had additional cheese and olive oil on the side for anyone who wanted to punch things up a bit.