Ask most Americans about Italian food, and the dish that most likely springs to mind is Spaghetti and Meatballs, meatballs served over a plate of spaghetti smothered in marinara sauce. A favorite recipe of many Italian immigrant grandmothers, and a staple on many a restaurant menu here in the US, the one place you’ll not easily find this dish is: Italy.

Little delicious balls of ground meats, called polpettes, are found all over Italy, in every region. But they are not drowned in a tomato sauce, nor are they the size of a tennis ball. You’ll see them served plain, or in a broth, or stewed in a sauce “in Umido”. They can be made from any meat, from veal to chicken to fish. In the region of Abruzzo, they can be no bigger in size than marbles and called polpettines.

In Italy, polpettes are more commonly found on the kitchen table than on a restaurant menu, as they are considered simple “home cooking”. Shaylyn Esposito, writing for smithsonian.com, shares a wonderful quote from 1800’s cookbook author Pellegrino Artusi – “Non crediate che io abbia la pretensione d’insegnarvi a far le polpette. Questo è un piatto che tutti lo sanno fare cominciando dal ciuco,” which translates, “Don’t think I’m pretentious enough to teach you how to make meatballs. This is a dish that everybody can make, starting with the donkey.”

That said, here is a recipe for Stewed Meatballs from Osteria – 1,000 Generous and Simple Recipes from Italy’s Best Local Restaurants compiled by Slow Food Editore Rizzoli. It makes a comfortable casual dinner, but also is great party food. We paired it with a sparkling rosé Crémant during a recent meeting of our Newburyport Wine Club. I added a few mushrooms to the sauce, turning this simple home dish into an elegant addition for a holiday celebration!

Polpette in Umido – Stewed Meatballs

Antica Trattoria dell Gigina, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna

These meatballs are stewed, but they would be equally delicious pan-fried. The ideal accompaniment is wild radicchio or freshly picked dandelion greens dressed with olive oil, vinegar, and plenty of garlic.

The mushrooms are my addition. If you prefer not to use, simply omit them.

Serves 6

12 ounces ground beef
8 ounces ground pork
4 ounces sausage, casing removed
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Freshly grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, minced
1 rib celery, minced
1 carrot, minced
10 ounces fresh mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 ounces dried mushrooms, soak in hot water for 30 minutes to soften
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine together the ground beef, ground pork, and crumble in the sausage. Mix with the egg, Parmigiano, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Combine well and form into balls about golf ball size.

Saute the onions, celery, and carrot in the olive oil. When they begin to brown, add the fresh and dried mushrooms and cook, until softened, any liquid has been mostly cooked off and the mushrooms are beginning to brown. Add the tomato puree, cream, and butter. Stir to combine, season lightly, and cook at a very low simmer for 5 minutes.

Dredge the meatballs in the breadcrumbs if desired, add to the pan with the cream and stew, turning occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through.