Marcos Waller

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 35 min
Makes: 16–20, depending on your level of honesty

Why Meatballs Never Really Landed in Buenos Aires

I constantly think to myself what is the difference between a NJ Italian-American family like the ones in the movies and the Buenos Aires culture, with more than 80 percent of Sicilian and Lombardian heritage? The answer is right there, and it is not the language; it’s the meatballs. We just don’t do them, or rarely. It must be the respect we have for the beef. Every type of food got down from the ship in a way that shifted through the years, adapting itself to the local ways, commercially and culinary. In Argentina, we have a type of filled pasta called “Sorrentinos” that I could never find in Sorrento; and I dare any of you to try and find meatballs around Italy, its not as easy as The Godfather made it look. I am positive that the best meatballs are probably found in Fairfield, NJ. But we’ll give them a go.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (or half beef, half pork if you want to go kind of vegan)
• 1 egg
• 1 small onion, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan (not Parmiggiano)
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• A splash of milk (just trust me)
• Olive oil, for browning
• 2 cups of your homemade pomodoro sauce

Instructions

1. Mix the Mix.
   In a large bowl, throw in the beef, egg, onion, garlic, parsley, parmesan, salt, pepper, and a splash of milk. Mix it with your hands.
2. Form into balls.
   Somewhere between ping-pong and golf ball size. Make them equal-ish.
3. Brown, don’t cook.
   Heat some olive oil in a pan and give your meatballs a little tan on all sides. You’re not cooking them through, just sealing.
4. Simmer in pomodoro.
   Pour in your pomodoro sauce (hopefully homemade — you’ve read the rant), bring it to a gentle bubble, and lower the heat. Let them simmer, half-covered, for about 25–30 minutes. Turn them occasionally. They like attention.
5. Serve as you wish.
   Over spaghetti like a cartoon stereotype, tucked into a toasty sub roll with melted provolone like Joey from Friends, or on a plate with absolutely no context or ties to mother Italy.

Final Thoughts

What other things do you consider we have changed on this side of the Atlantic Ocean?