Three Ways to Make Meatballs

You will want to try them all

Photo: South China Morning Post for Getty Images

Here meatballs get three cocktail-party treatments, none of them Swedish. The main recipe — an Italian version, polpette are made with a load of fresh parmesan and milk-soaked bread. The second adds almonds for a tapas-style meatball. The third is Vietnamese influenced, with rice and pork. All three can be mixed and rolled in advance, then simmered, baked, pan-roasted, or grilled, and take just minutes to cook.

Other meat you can use: ground pork, lamb, veal, turkey, chicken, or duck (or a combination).

Ingredients

1 thick slice or 2 thin slices white bread

½ cup milk

1 pound ground sirloin or your own ground beef

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Soak the bread in the milk until soggy, about 5 minutes. Squeeze the milk from the bread and combine the bread gently with the meat, onion, parmesan, parsley, and some salt and pepper. Shape into 1-inch meatballs, pressing no more than is necessary.