Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 1/2 lbs. of ground beef
- 1 head of garlic, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup of fresh basil chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup of Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated
- 2 slices of Artisan Italian bread, cubed (if you don’t have Artisan bread you may use 3 slices of white bread)
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed with your fingers
- 1 tsp. fennel seed, chopped
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- Vegetable oil, for frying the meatballs
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl add the cubed bread and pour the ½ cup of milk over the bread to absorb.
- In a large bowl add the chopped garlic, breadcrumbs, eggs, olive oil, seasonings, fresh chopped basil and the fresh grated cheese.
- Add the soaked bread to the large bowl and toss.
- Add the ground beef to the large bowl and mix.
- Let the prepared meat rest for about 30 minutes before forming into meatballs. When you do form into meatballs do not squeeze them tight or overwork the meatballs. They will become hard and dry!
- Heat a large cast iron frying pan with about ½ inch of vegetable oil.
- Add a few meatballs at a time, DO NOT overcrowd your pan.
- Allow a nice crust to form on one side then gently turn the meatballs, to form a nice crust on all sides. This should take about 2 – 3 minutes per side. Do Not overcook your meatballs!
- Place in your favorite tomato sauce and serve with fresh grated Romano cheese or Parmesan and a nice crusty bread for dipping.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Pan fried
- Cuisine: Italian
