SICILIAN-STYLE BEEF MEATBALLS (With SICILIAN SEASONED)

But how good they are one pulls off the other, I have to cook them secretly for everyone, otherwise I cook and they take don’t come to the table.

My son even “steals” them from me even raw, and my grandchildren already arrive full at the table because of how many they have eaten before.

With my Sicilian-style Beef Meatballs I play it safe any way I serve them, a guaranteed success.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bursting with Flavor: The Sicilian-style breadcrumbs, infused with Pecorino Romano and fresh herbs, elevate these meatballs to new heights.
• Family Favorite: Loved by kids and adults alike – these meatballs never make it to the table without being “taste-tested” first!
• Simple and Versatile: Easy to prepare and adaptable – serve them alone, with pasta, or in a sandwich.
• Authentically Italian: A recipe steeped in Sicilian tradition, using fresh ingredients and classic methods.

Cooking Time

• Servings: 4
• Preparation Time: 30 minutes
• Cooking Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

• 14 oz ground beef
• 1 cup stale bread
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (Sicilian seasoned, see recipe)
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 eggs
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

To Make Sicilian-Style Seasoned Breadcrumbs:

• 17 oz stale bread (2–3 days old)
• 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese (grated)
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 1 cup parsley (minced)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper (ground)

Step-by-Step Method

Make Sicilian-Style Seasoned Breadcrumbs:

1. Prepare the Bread:
   • Choose bread with a light crust, preferably oil rolls. Slice into 0.2-inch thick pieces.
2. Toast (Optional):
   • Place slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toast in a preheated oven at 300°F until lightly golden. Let cool.
   • For coarse breadcrumbs, refrigerate bread for 3 days instead of toasting.
3. Grate and Season:
   • Grate bread to your desired texture (coarse or fine).
   • Mix with grated Pecorino Romano, minced garlic, parsley, salt, and black pepper.

Make the Meatballs:

1. Soak the Bread:
   • Cut stale bread into pieces and soak in milk until fully absorbed. Squeeze out excess milk, reserving leftover milk for later.
2. Prepare the Mixture:
   • In a large bowl, combine ground beef, eggs, Sicilian-style breadcrumbs, soaked bread, and season with salt and pepper. Add leftover milk if the mixture feels too dry.
3. Shape the Meatballs:
   • Knead the mixture until well combined. Form into 1-inch balls.
4. Cook the Meatballs:
   • Heat extra virgin olive oil in a pan with a sprig of rosemary and a whole garlic clove. Sauté until fragrant, then remove the garlic.
   • Add the meatballs and cook for 2 minutes per side, shaking the pan to turn them evenly. Continue cooking until golden brown and cooked to your liking.

Suggestions

• Serving Ideas: Pair with a light salad, pasta, or crusty bread for a complete meal.
• Customize: Substitute Pecorino Romano with Parmigiano Reggiano for a milder flavor.
• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or microwave.

Nutritional Facts (Per Serving)

Enjoy your Sicilian-Style Beef Meatballs – crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with traditional Italian goodness. Buon appetito!

Sicilian-Style Beef Meatballs Recipe

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Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 14 oz ground beef
• 1 cup of stale bread
• 1 cup of breadcrumbs Sicilian seasoned, see recipe
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 eggs
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

To Make Sicilian seasoned breadcrumbs:

• 17 oz stale bread 2 or 3 days old
• 1 cup of Pecorino Romano cheese grated
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 cup of parsley minced
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper ground

Instructions

 

• First you need to choose bread that does not have too thick a crust, preferably oil rolls, because it is easier to grate either by hand or with an electric grater.
• If you want a very fine texture, follow this process:
• Cut the bread into slices about 0.2 inches thick, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Preheat the oven to 300°F for at least 15 minutes. As soon as the bread takes on a color similar to when you make bruschetta, turn off the oven and let the bread cool with the oven door open.
• If, on the other hand, you want rather coarse-grained breadcrumbs, do not put the bread in the oven; instead, refrigerate it for 3 days and then grate it by hand or with an electric grater.
• The grain of the breadcrumbs should not be too fine, but slightly coarse.
• Begin by adding: the ground pepper,a fine clump of finely chopped parsley,The grated Pecorino Romano cheese.
• Over time this has been wholly or partly replaced with Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano.
• I still do it the old way because it enriches the flavor in the dishes more.
• Add the garlic and salt and mix everything together.
• And there you have the “Sicilian style seasoned breadcrumbs” ready.

To Make Meatballs:

• Choose good minced meat, tell the butcher to mince it 2 times.
• Cut the stale bread into pieces, put them in a bowl, with milk, and wait for it to absorb it all.
• Prepare the bread crumbs seasoned Sicilian style, with pecorino cheese salt pepper parsley and garlic.
• In a fairly large bowl, put the mince, the eggs the Sicilian seasoned breadcrumbs, and the soaked and squeezed bread. Do not throw away the leftover milk, which you may need to further moisten the mixture.
• Knead, and form the meatballs, I like them small and make them about 1 inch.
• In a pan put extra virgin olive oil put a sprig of rosemary a whole clove of garlic and sauté, at the end remove the garlic.
• Dip the meatballs cooking them for 2 minutes, then without using forks shake the pan tossing them, if you can not use then fork.
• Turn them on all sides for 2 minutes per side until they turn golden brown.
• Then it is up to you whether you like them more or less cooked.
• Serve them piping hot. Here are the Sicilian-style Beef Meatballs ready.