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It’s kind of hard to place the meatballs and Italians in one picture, right? We’ve never really given this is a thought but our oh-so-beloved meatballs that have been a rage in most Asian and Middle-Eastern countries for years have an Italian cousin too. Polpette literally translates to meatballs in English and there’s no other fancy etymology to the name.
For the uninitiated, meatballs refer to balls, formed by rolling a mixture of pounded meat and dunked into a thick, dense sauce. It is enjoyed with rice, noodles and a variety of pasta too. Remember Meatball Spaghetti? So how did it reach Italian cuisine?
For the longest time, meatballs have been associated with Middle-Eastern kofte, often called koofteh in the ancient era. This was generally prepared with lamb meat and relished by kings and the royal courts. For the Italians, the idea of a polpette was slightly different. They thought of it as an affordable and accessible means to tasty food and was regarded as a poor man’s meal. In fact, in a manual by an Italian, it has been described as a recipe created for using leftover meat.
If you’ve been thinking what we are thinking, then it’s time to scroll down these amazing meatball recipes by Slurrp and make your pick:
This makes for a great crowd-pleasing sticky appetiser.
Spicy meatballs dipped in a tomato sauce are a Spanish version of meatballs.
Try this Mediterranean recipe with a touch of keto for a great treat.
