Sitting here at home during this quarantine… one of the little things we miss most is our favorite Italian restaurant, Martorano’s in Fort Lauderdale. Steve Martorano’s meatball recipe has become a staple in our cooking.

In his restaurant he serves them in the famous Meatball Salad, accompanied by a delicious Italian salad, scoop of fresh ricotta, and roasted Italian long hot pepper (photo below). We rotate how we serve them at home, sometimes as a meatball salad, and other times with some yummy Gentile macaroni.  They are incredibly flavorful, light, and tender, with a ton of fresh parsley throughout. So turn on some Sinatra and pour a glass of Chianti–these meatballs are to die for.

• 3/4 lb. ground veal
• 3/4 lb. ground chuck
• 3/4 lb. ground pork
• 3 cloves of fresh garlic, sliced.
• 2 cans of D.O.P San Marzano tomatoes, 36 oz. each
• 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Fresh basil
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• 2 large eggs
• black pepper
• kosher salt
• 2 cups of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1 cup of Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/2 loaf of day old Italian bread
• Grapeseed oil for frying

First, to make the meatballs, whisk the egg in a bowl. Take the day old Italian bread and rip it up into small pieces in a small bowl. Add warm water just enough to soak the bread. Let it sit for a few minutes, then squeeze all the water out really good.

Add the whisked eggs, meats, parsley, garlic powder, cheese, bread pieces, and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Then using your hands, mix the meatball mixture to combine, just be careful not to over mix as it’ll get tough. Roll 4 oz balls and place on a platter.

Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pot, enough to cover half the height of the meatballs. Working in batches, only a few at a time, brown the meatballs for 3 minutes on each side.

Meanwhile, in a separate pan, add some EVOO and sauté garlic for just a couple minutes being careful not to brown much. Add in the San Marzano tomatoes and break them up with a wooden spoon. Bring your sauce to a simmer, season with salt and pepper, and add some of the fresh basil. Nestle in your meatballs and allow to simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour for it to thicken a bit.

Serve over pasta or alongside a yummy salad with fresh ricotta and italian long hot peppers. Buon appetito!