Patsy's Italian Family Cookbook (4 page)

MEATBALL-TINI

¾ cup fresh bread crumbs

½ cup whole milk

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 pounds ground veal

1½ cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 6 ounces)

3 large eggs

3 large egg yolks, beaten

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried

2½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups Seasoned Bread Crumbs or Italian-flavored store-bought dried bread crumbs, for dusting

Olive oil, for deep-frying

3 cups Vodka Sauce (see
here
), heated

Pimiento-stuffed green olives, speared onto toothpicks, for garnish

1.
To make the mini meatballs: Put the bread crumbs in a small bowl, drizzle with the milk, and let soak and soften for a few minutes.

2.
Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until they are lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

3.
Using your hands, mix the veal, soaked bread crumbs, and the onion mixture in a large bowl. Add the grated cheese, whole eggs, egg yolks, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper and mix again until combined.

4.
Dust the work surface with about ½ cup of the seasoned bread crumbs. On the bread crumbs, shape about ¾ cup of the meatball mixture into a 1-inch-wide strip. Sprinkle the top of the strip with more seasoned bread crumbs. Cut the strip into ½- to ¾-inch lengths. Transfer the pieces to a large sieve or strainer and sprinkle lightly with bread crumbs to prevent sticking. Rotate the sieve in a circulation motion to toss the strips of meat and form marble-size meatballs. Transfer the meatballs to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture and bread crumbs.

5.
Preheat the oven to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place near the stove.

6.
Pour enough oil into a large deep skillet to come 1 inch up the sides. Heat the oil over high heat to 360°F. Working in batches without crowding, and adding more oil as needed, deep-fry the meatballs until browned and cooked through, about 1½ minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the paper towel–lined baking sheet. Keep the cooked meatballs warm in the oven while frying the rest. (The meatballs can be cooled, packed into 1-gallon plastic storage bags, and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes before using.)

7.
For each serving, place a portion of the meatballs in a martini glass. Garnish with parsley and green olives on spears. Serve ramekins of the vodka sauce on the side for dipping the meatballs.

^◆
Seasoned Bread Crumbs
^◆

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

This is one of the “secret ingredients” in Patsy’s kitchens, and a recipe that every Italian grandmother knows by heart. It takes day-old bread and mixes it with a few ingredients to become something special, an all-purpose ingredient that can be used as a coating, binder, and even toasted as a pasta topping. The crumbs keep for a few days in the refrigerator.

8 ounces stale Italian bread (about ½ small loaf), cut into large chunks

¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 garlic clove, minced

½ teaspoon dried oregano

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Process the bread chunks in a food processor until they form fine crumbs. (Or process the bread in a blender in batches.) Transfer to a large bowl. Add the parsley, grated cheese, garlic, and oregano and mix well. Gradually stir in the oil to thoroughly moisten the crumbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (The crumbs can be refrigerated in a 1-gallon zip-top plastic bag for up to 5 days.)

Mussels with White Wine and Lemon

MAKES 4 APPETIZER SERVINGS

A bowl of plump mussels in a fragrant sauce is a great way to start a meal. This sauce is especially good, and you won’t want to waste a drop, so be sure to serve the mussels with toasted bread for sopping.

2 pounds cultivated mussels, such as Prince Edward Island (see Note)

2 cups cold water

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

8 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

¼ cup dry white wine

⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Freshly ground black pepper

Sliced Italian bread, toasted in a broiler or on a grill, for serving

1.
Put the mussels in a large pot and add the water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook just until the shells open, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the opened mussels to a colander, discarding any unopened mussels. Reserve the cooking liquid.

2.
Line a wire strainer with moistened paper towels and set over medium bowl. Strain the cooking liquid through the strainer. Measure and reserve 2 cups of the strained liquid. (You can cool, cover, and freeze the remaining mussel cooking liquid for another use or as a fish stock.) Wash and dry the pot.

3.
Heat the oil and garlic together in pot over medium heat, stirring often, until the garlic is golden. Add the reserved cooking liquid along with the wine, lemon juice, scallions, parsley, and oregano. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the sauce has thickened lightly, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with pepper. Add the mussels, cover, and cook until reheated, about 3 minutes more.

4.
Using tongs, divide the mussels evenly among four soup bowls, and ladle in the sauce. Serve hot, with the toasted bread.

NOTE:
Cultivated mussels just need to be rinsed before cooking. For wild mussels, using pliers, pull off and discard the hairy “beards” sticking out of the shells, then scrub and soak them in a big pot of salted ice water for an hour or two, then drain. After cooking, when straining the liquid, leave any grit behind at the bottom of the pot.

Baked Clams

MAKES 4 APPETIZER SERVINGS

Here’s a recipe for juicy clams topped with crisp crumbs that has been served at Patsy’s since the first day that Grandpa opened the doors. Scognamillo family lore says that these were the first seafood that I ever ate. (I can’t argue with my mother’s memory, although I bet it was fried calamari.) Even though these are called baked, they are really broiled. Unless you have someone in your life who is an experienced clam shucker, buy the clams on the half shell the day you plan to cook them.

24 Littleneck clams, shucked with the meat on the half shell

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups
Seasoned Bread Crumbs

¼ cup olive oil, for drizzling

2 lemons, cut into wedges

1.
Position a rack about 8 inches from the heat source and preheat the broiler on high.

2.
Season the clams very lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon the bread crumbs into the shells and smooth with the back of a spoon. Arrange the stuffed clam shells in a single layer in a broiler pan. Drizzle lightly with the olive oil to moisten the crumbs.

3.
Broil until the bread crumbs are lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot with the lemon wedges.