Randolfi’s chef-owner Mike Randolph makes light, airy meatballs loaded with flavor. Here, 4 tips from the pro for magical meatballs at home.
1. Ditch the breadcrumbs. Airy meatballs start with high-quality bread. Cube a day-old artisanal loaf and soak it in buttermilk; this will help bind the mixture and keep it moist. Sturdy bread lends itself to a softer, fluffier meatball, and buttermilk is a great way to add acid to the meat, which means better flavor in the finished product.
2. Bigger is better. If you want a light, soft texture, make a couple large meatballs instead of dozens of little ones. They’re less likely to dry out during cooking, and it’s less work for you.
3. You don’t boil a steak; don’t boil meatballs. The best way to cook meatballs is to season well, sear, add a simple tomato puree and braise two to three hours in a 225-degree oven.
4. Don’t neglect the noodles. Spaghetti and meatballs is mostly spaghetti. For a new take on the classic, toss al dente pasta in a pan with a generous glug of olive oil, your favorite herbs, a splash of pasta water and a sprinkle of Parmesan. It’s a great accompaniment to the meat and a simple alternative to the expected tomato sauce.
Meatballs Courtesy of Randolfi’s Mike Randolph 4 to 6 servings
6 oz. artisanal day-old white bread, cut into ¼-inch cubes (about 3½ cups)
1½ cups buttermilk
1¼ lbs. ground lamb
1¼ lbs. ground pork
1 egg
2½ tsp. chopped fresh garlic
2 tsp. lemon zest
2 tsp. kosher salt
1¼ tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
¾ tsp. chopped fresh thyme
¾ tsp. fennel pollen*
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 14.5-oz. can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, pureed
Spaghetti with Herbs and Cheese (recipe follows)
Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Preheat the oven to 225 degrees.
• In a large bowl, soak the bread in the buttermilk about 20 minutes. Add ¼ pound lamb and ¼ pound pork to the bread mixture and mix until well incorporated. Add the remaining lamb, the remaining pork, the egg, garlic, lemon zest, salt, rosemary, black pepper, red pepper flakes, thyme and fennel pollen and mix well. Use your hands to form the meat mixture into baseball-sized meatballs, 6- to 8-ounces each.
• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the meatballs, turning every few minutes to sear all sides, about 10 minutes. Place the meatballs in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish.
• Pour the tomato puree into the skillet over medium-high heat. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Pour the sauce over the meatballs.
• Bake 2 hours. Serve over spaghetti. Garnish with Parmigiano-Reggiano.
*Available at Larder & Cupboard, 7310 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.300.8995, larderandcupboard.com
Spaghetti with Herbs and Cheese Courtesy of Randolfi’s Mike Randolph 4 servings
1 lb. dried spaghetti
½ cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. minced shallot
1 cup grated Parmesan
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
4 tsp. lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook until just shy of al dente, 6 to 7 minutes. Reserve 2 cups pasta water, then drain the spaghetti and set aside.
• Return the pot to the stove over medium heat and add the oil. Add the garlic and shallot and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until translucent. Add the spaghetti, Parmesan, parsley, red pepper flakes and 1 cup pasta cooking water. Toss until the spaghetti is cooked to al dente and the sauce coats the pasta, about 5 minutes. Add more pasta cooking water as needed if the sauce is too thick. Stir in lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
This article appears in November 2015.
