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 Carlino's Ardmore, PA
Meatballs! How many ways are there to make them? What are the ingredients: which the meats to be used? Do you add breadcrumbs? Do you use stale bread soaked in milk? (My mother recalls how that was something she had a tough time when my grandmother, her mother-in-law, showed her that trick.) How about adding things like mustard or ketchup or Worcestershire Sauce? How about using something other than red meats?
For most Italian Americans the meat in meatballs is usually ground beef to which sometimes may be added some ground pork or veal or both. Such were the essentials of the meatballs for Sunday gravy. But do all meatballs need to be made from pig or cow? Do they need to be finished in a red sauce? How about meatballs made from chicken? Among any Italian American I know there would be no such thing. But in Italy it seems that they are not so uncommon. Here’s how I found them.
In the refrigerator I had some chicken breasts and a container of ricotta. What, I wondered might I do with these two ingredients. My first thought was simply to spread the ricotta out on the chicken breasts cover them in a slice of ham and roll them up: much like a “cordon bleu.” But I realized that the ricotta would not hold very well and would probably spill out. So, my next thought was to look online. Google did not reveal too much. Then I went to Google Italy (google.it) and simply entered “pollo, ricotta, prosciutto,” (chicken, ricotta, ham.) The results flowed out one after the other including videos. 
From "Prova del Cuoco"
(click on image)
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Nearly all of them suggested recipes called variations on “polpettine di pollo.” Now if you go to translate the word “polpettini” you will get “meatballs.” The thing is, in Italy it seems that while the “polpettine” may be a round ball, that is not always the case. They can also be somewhat cigar shaped. Then too, if you continue your online search you will come across “polpettone,” which means something more like “meatloaf.” (the Italian word ending “ –ine” suggests something small, the ending “-one” something big.
The Italian dictionary notes that the word “polpettone” refers to any “chopped meat… mixed with various ingredients …. In the shape of a large, long cylinder. (carne tritata (raram. di pesce), impastata con ingredienti varî, ,……. forma di un grosso cilindro allungato.)
http://www.treccani.it/vocabolario/tag/polpettini/ The recipe that follows is one that I took by combining elements from these sites. The result was quite remarkable. Ground chicken meatballs mixed with ricotta, pecorino Romano, bread crumbs and egg then wrapped in prosciutto and fried are really quite delectable. The recipe is also quite easy. Two very important parts of this recipe is the semi-freezing of the chicken before grinding it and being sure that the heat on the stove is set at low so as not to burn the prosciutto. One other thing to consider is the prosciutto. Don't go for the expensive imported variety for this dish. You're going to fry it. The far less expensive domestic variety will do perfectly well. And buy it by the slice not by weight.
Serve with peperonata or ciambotta or other side of your choice. |
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Preparation
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Equipment
Skillet Food Processor Knife Spatula Parchment paper |
Ingredients
Chicken breasts - 2 Prosciutto - 12 slices domestic Ricotta - 1 cup Bread crumbs - 1 cup Pecorino Romano - 1 cup Egg - 1 Chicken brother ( or white wine) 1/2 cup Sage - a few leaves Nutmeg - 1/ 2 teaspoon Salt and pepper Olive oil for frying |
Chicken breasts
Cube the chicken 
Grind
Grind half the chicken at a time. Grind by repeated pulsing. Do not go to far or you will make a paste. 
Finish
Finish off the filling by mixing thoroughly by hand. 
Prosciutto
Set each meatball on a strip of prosciutto. Roll the meatballs. You do not need a toothpick. The prosciutto will hold. 
Sauce
When the rolls are finished, add the chicken stock or white wine. Simmer for a minute more. Remove the rolls and let the sauce reduce. |
Freeze
Set the cubes out on a lined tray. Set the tray in the freezer from 45 minutes to and hour but no more. 
Mixture
Add the egg, the ricotta cheese, the pecorino Romano, the bread crumbs, nutmeg, sage, salt and pepper. Begin mixing with a spatula. 
The "Meatballs"
These meatballs are not round. Roll them into something like the shape of a small Easter egg. 
Frying
Fry the rolls on very low heat. High heat will burn the prosciutto and not cook the chicken. |
Serve
