Adapted from my mother’s recipe

Oven: 375 degrees

Yield: approximately 6 dozen 1-inch meatballs/approximately 20 (2-inch) meatballs. See notes below.

Ingredients for Meatballs:

16 ounces lean ground beef

16 ounces ground pork

4 ounce piece of day old Italian bread (or whatever is available), soaked & squeezed dry

2 eggs, lightly beaten

¾ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

¾ cup seasoned bread crumbs

½ cup chopped Italian flat leaf parsley or 2 ½  tablespoons dried parsley

¼ cup finely minced onion (small onion)

3 large cloves finely minced garlic

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions for Meatballs:

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees F

Mix together the beef and pork in a large bowl, turning a few times so as not to over mix.

Place the piece of stale bread in a bowl of warm water to soften for a few minutes. Remove the center of bread, squeeze with hands until water is removed but still wet and soft. It is not a problem is a small amount of the crust is incorporated, as long as it is soft. Using a large fork or your hands (my utensils of choice for meatballs) add bread and beaten eggs to meat and mix with about 6 or 7 turns. Add all remaining ingredients and gently incorporate into meat. Do not over mix or meatballs will be tough.

On a sheet pan sprayed with vegetable oil:

Cook 1-inch meatballs @ 375 degrees F for approximately 10-15 minutes until cooked through. Use a flat tablespoon full of meat as a measurement.*

Cook 2-inch meatballs @ 375 degrees F for approximately 20-25 minutes until cooked through.

Notes:

*If meatballs are for Italian Wedding Soup, cook for ½ the time (until half-baked).

• Yield:

1. This is a high yield recipe and more than is needed for any one of the three recipes.  The strategy for many of my recipes is that if I am spending the time in the kitchen, then I make enough for the immediate need and as well as extra for the freezer.
2. For this meatball recipe: ½ of meatball recipe for Italian Wedding soup (about 3 dozen 1” meatballs)

• ½+(a little more than ½ ) of meatball recipe for Stuffed Red Bell Peppers (4 medium-large peppers)
• ½-(a little less than ½ ) of meatball recipe for Meatball Mozzarella Stromboli (1 loaf)

3.  Bread:  I keep the end pieces of Italian bread and other leftover bread in a bag in the freezer for dishes such as meatballs.