I first made these meatballs on my first visit Sicily. I was staying at the home of the Ravida family who produce world acclaimed olive oil. These light meatballs are subtly flavoured with lemon and the dimpled lemons of Sicily add their own touch of magic. These meatballs are usually served with a little fresh tomato sauce. If you use tomato sauce it should only be a spoonful for each “polpettine”, or you will drown the delicate flavour. These meatballs are also delicious served with pasta with fresh dill and zucchini.
In Sicily, we put a fresh lemon leaf part way around them and held them in place with wet toothpicks. The oil from the leaves filled the air with their perfume as they cooked on a barbeque. Be sure to avoid the white pith on the lemon when you are grating as this will be bitter.
- 500g lean veal, minced
- 50g fresh bread crumbs from fine white bread
- 50g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 30g pine nuts, chopped finely
- finely grated peel from two medium-sized lemons
- 15ml lemon juice
- 1 free range egg
- chopped parsley
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- oil to fry
