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Recipes Nugget Markets Signature Recipes

Italian Meatballs

Prep time
10 minutes
Cook time
30 minutes
Yield
Serves 5, or about 20 meatballs
Difficulty
1 out of 5 on the difficulty scale
Nugget Markets quick and easy

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 bunch Italian parsley, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 6 slices Columbo sourdough
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Cut the crust from 3 of the slices of bread. Dampen the bread with just a bit of water and wring it out. Mix thoroughly with remaining ingredients.

Form mixture into 1-oz.-ball shapes, about 1½-inch diameter, and place on a deep sheet pan. Bake in oven for 25 minutes. Remove from pan with tongs and serve tossed with your favorite spaghetti and marinara.

Alternately, this recipe makes a delicious meatloaf! Place entire mixture in a 2-pound loaf pan and bake at 325ºF for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Pair with

  • Sangiovese

    Responsible for the three great wines of Tuscany: Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino, Sangiovese is Italy's most famous grape.

  • Refosco

    This grape varietal is primarily grown in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of northeastern Italy. Refosco is often referred to as Mondeuse Noire and makes delicious everyday table wines.

  • Nebbiolo

    A weekday red from the Piedmont region, Nebbiolo is massively structured and extremely tannic in its youth. Lighter Nebbiolo (like Nebbiolo d'Alba and Roero) should be imbibed young. However, be patient - when deeper in color, Nebbiolo should be given time - it becomes a delicious combination of suppleness and power. Give this varietal a try; it is responsible for the exalted wines Barolo and Barbaresco. Nebbiolo's aroma is fruity, earthy, herbal and floral. Look for hints of strawberry, cherry, truffles, mint, eucalyptus, anise and rose.

  • Montepulciano

    Don't be confused by its name. This is not the grape of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which is made from Sangiovese. The grape Montepulciano is widespread throughout central and southern Italy and is especially known in Abbruzzi.

  • Barbera

    Barbera is Piedmont's juiciest and honestly most delicious red wine. It is lower in tannins and higher in acid than other more dry red wines.

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