Who’s Hungry for Polpette?
Homemade polpette is a tradition in Puglia Southern Italy, here being served as an antipasto at a traditional Sunday lunch.
When Americans come to Italy for the first time, one of the first things they notice is that many Italian foods we are familiar with in the USA are missing from menus when you sit down at an authentic Italian restaurant.
One of those dishes is spaghetti and meatballs. Contrary to popular belief, spaghetti and meatballs, while delicious and a mainstay of the comfort food scene, is not an authentic Italian dish, but rather an Italian American creation. Don’t ask an Italian in Italy if they like spaghetti and meatballs. Their reaction will be different depending where you are in Italy: at best you get a sympathetic smile, at worst snide comments of disdain.
Actually, meatballs, or polpette in Italian, are actually a staple all up and down the boot. Just don’t serve them with pasta, unless you are in Puglia (or Apulia), the heel of the boot of Italy; the Pugliesi looove their polpette, or meatballs, and, sometimes, even serve them with pasta, although it is usually not spaghetti, and the meatballs are teeny tiny, contrasting with the huge meatballs you find in a typical American spaghetti and meatballs dish.
Let’s explore the world of authentic Italian meatballs, aka polpette, where we have a real Italian meatballs recipe and traditional wine pairings too.
What are Polpette?
To start with a basic definition: polpette (or the singular word polpetta) are balls of meat and/or bread that are fried. Various Nonna, or Italian grandmothers, will debate over breadcrumbs, egg content, spices, sauces, and more. In fact, there are variations of meatballs found throughout various world wide cuisines, from Fleischlaibchen in Austria, klopse in Germany, köttbullar in Sweden, and to albóndigas in Spain and Mexico. Each recipe has its own local twist on the theme, but somehow in the US, the classic Italian version is what we often think of when we say ‘meatballs’.
As we mention above, in Italy, polpette are usually not served as a sauce with spaghetti or pasta. Instead they are more commonly served anywhere else in the meal, from happy hour aperitivo to appetizer antipasti and entrée secondi. They are found everywhere in various forms on Italian menus. It is this versatility that has made a ‘polpette boom’ in Italy, with the last ten years or so seeing an explosion of restaurants serving only polpette. They have become very popular menu items and are commonly seen on many tables throughout Italian piazzas. You can see them in many different variations, made with different meats, vegetables mixed in or as sauces, herbs and spices, the variations are endless. But where did they start?
Meatballs made with a tomato sauce.
While there might not be one definitive ‘origin’ of polpette in Italy (or at least one the different regions won’t begin arguing over), they are commonly associated with Southern Italian cuisine. They are made all sorts of ways, sometimes with more extravagant ingredients, like meatballs made with eggplant, provolone, and mint, which are great as appetizers. But there are versions of meatballs specific to certain parts of Italy, like the frise of Piedmont, meatballs made with pork offal or organ meats and wrapped in pork caul. Meanwhile, in Bologna, you may find in certain off the beaten path trattorias, or osterias, polpette served as an entrée with tomato sauce, peas, and mashed potatoes on the side. It is considered a casalinga dish, or as we say, a comfort food, since it is found usually just in homes and not in restaurants,
But what we think of as ‘meatballs’ are most often found in Pugliese cuisine from Puglia where they are commonly served as an appetizer. According to a real casalinga from Puglia that we spoke with, the secret to a really good polpette is the grated cheese you put in them, specifically a cheese called Rodez. Nickamed the “parmigiano francese,” Rodez is a cows milk cheese, aged for around six months, which has become a staple of Pugliese cuisine, despite it being a French cheese from the Southeast of France.
Wait, why, in Southern Italy people are more likely to use “French parmesan” cheese instead of Italian Parmesan Cheese? After all, Italy is the Parmesan capital of the world, no? It just so happened that 40 years ago, there was a shortage of milk in Puglia, so the Pugliese took upon it themselves to find a substitute. Their journey led to the discovery of Rodez in Southern France, and the rest is history. Practically, only in Puglia will you see Italian cheese being passed over for a French cheese. Rodez cheese does have a sharp taste to it which gives traditional polpette from Puglia a distinctive flavor.
Can’t find Rodez near you? Well, you could substitute it with a good aged pecorino cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano - there are really good Italian cheeses after all…
The Italian Pasta Rules
As mentioned earlier, in some parts of Italy meatballs are served with pasta, but in line with the Italian pasta rules. What does that mean?
In America, we tend to exaggerate with our cuisine in which there is a dominant flavor or food that stands out. In fact, our palettes are used to having big, bold flavors, and this not only impacts our food preferences but also beverages, including, of course, wine.
Meanwhile in Italy, everything needs to be balanced: not too much garlic, not too much spice, etc. Harmony is the key, not only for food, but also wine, and pairings foods. As such real Italian pasta dishes are not smothered with sauce, but instead has just enough sauce to lightly coat each piece of pasta. Likewise, the condiments of the ragu are subtle. Hence a real spaghetti and meatball dish, which, by the way, you usually can only find in the Pugliese or Southern Italian cuisine, has small sized meatballs and just a touch of sauce.
As one last anecdote before we jump into how to make delicious meatballs: did you know that meatloaf is actually related in a way to meatballs? You see, the Italian word for meatloaf is polpettone, or ‘big polpette’. That’s right, a meatloaf is essentially just one gigantic meatball!
But, we digress. Now, back on track: let’s make some meatballs!
Making Polpette at Home
Polpette are surprisingly easy to make at home. In fact, home made meatballs are a great recipe to have in your repertoire, ready to pull out even at the last minute. The basics are to make a ‘dough’ from a meat base and/or bread, form your balls, and then fry them. And presto! You have a delicious meatballs. They are versatile and simple to pull together. And, as mentioned previously, polpette and meatballs are not a ‘one size fits all’ type of food… and just like their serving and flavors are not standard, so, too, is their preparation. There are numerous ways to cook meatballs, aside from our recipe below. Here, we’ve given a few ways to change up the recipe according to personal taste.
Air Fryer: You can choose to also air fry meatballs at 350 degrees for about 5-10 minutes (depending on how big you make them) or until cooked through and well browned.
As an Entrée: Usually served as an appetizer in Puglia, they can also be served as an entrée with sides such as mashed potatoes. When served as an entrée, you can create a fresh tomato sauce to serve over this meatballs recipe.
Crispier: For more of a crunch, you can roll the raw meatballs in bread crumbs before frying.
Less Frying Oil: If you want to use less oil, you can use half the recommended amount, but you must be much more diligent in flipping and tending to the meatballs to ensure they are evenly browned and cooked.
Vegetarian: This recipe can also be made vegetarian by swapping the ground meat for bread, as used in this meatless meatball recipe from Abruzzo.
Pugliese polpette, like from our recipe below.
Wine Pairings with Polpette
Your polpette are frying up, so how do you create a delicious wine and food harmony? When we think about pairing wine and food, we consider the balance of flavors in both the food and wine, of course, but also another type of pairing can be by ‘tradition’ or location. Italian polpette… Italian wine right? Let’s start with wines of Puglia, or Apulia, the origin of the recipe we have below.
Italian winery Domus Hortae, located in Puglia, is run by the Fioretti family and wife Rosanna Melichionda. Offering, of course, one of the Rosé wines Puglia is famous for in the form of Kiaros, a Nero di Troia Rosé wine with fun strawberry and rhubarb fruity flavors, a great sipper wine that keeps you coming back, wonderful for if your meatballs are being served as an appetizer or during happy hour. And Domus Hortae also offers other white wine Italian style to pair with your appetizer style meatballs, like Kimere made from bombino bianco or Ti Estì made from minutolo, both indigenous grapes to Puglia. The fruity characteristics of Kimere or the herbaceous flavors of Ti Estì make great pairings for lighter meatballs, made with lots of cheese for example. For a more entrée centered meatball, maybe with a tomato sauce, try their Kalinero red wine, made with Nero di Troia. Steel aged but still with a nice sandy tannic texture, it will help complement the flavors and counteract the richness of the dish. You can even taste all four of Domus Hortae’s Pugliese wines with shipping included in our Wines of Puglia Explorer Tasting Set.
Moving a little further up the Adriatic coast to the Abruzzo region in Italy, we find Febo, from whom our meatless meatball variation comes. Their natural wines are great options to pair with a whole variety of meatballs. Like the white wine from the trebbiano abbruzese grape, Parella, goes great with any number of polpette variations thanks to a healthy body and touch of fruitiness, it’s a great sipper too. Or the orange-esque wine Rolland is a super fun option to work with their meatless meatballs. This Pecorino wine has a lot of color for a normally white grape variety, with lots of candied fruit and ginger flavors that surprise you when tasting. Of course, we cannot forget Febo’s “chillable red” Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, a deep rosé version of Montepulciano wines, that is even chillable to go with a tomato dipping sauce you serve with your meatballs. Lastly, try to make a Timballo from Abruzzo, which is like a lasagna stuffed with mini itty-bitty meatballs, and pair this impressive dish with their wine Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, their red natural wine offering that filled with earthy flavors balances out great with any meatball, just in general. Explore Febo’s wines all together, too, in the Abruzzo Natural Wine Tasting Set.
Polpette Pugliese, ready to be enjoyed with Rodez and a glass of Domus Hortae wine!
So many great wines… now all that is left is to decide how you want to cook meatballs for your next gathering!
Get Ready to Cook and Pair
Sounds like a feast waiting to happen: authentic Italian wine and home made meatballs.
Find wines to pair with this Italian classic recipe and so many more in our curated portfolio of small production, hard to find natural wines. Add a really good organic extra virgin olive oil as well to drizzle on top.
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Polpette - Italian Meatballs
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef, pork or a mix of the two
½ cup grated Pecorino, Rodez, or Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese
(plus extra for garnish)
1 teaspoon garlic paste
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
2 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper, to taste
Frying oil, as needed
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Il Nostro Oro, Febo, Aurinia, or Caletra)
Some Wine Pairing Examples:
Wines of Domus Hortae from Puglia
Wines of Febo from Abruzzo
Cooking and Prep Time: 30 mins
Portions: 4-8 portions (depending on whether serving as appetizer or entrée)
Procedure:
1. In a large bowl, mix together meat(s), grated cheese of choice, garlic, parsley, eggs, and salt and pepper. Begin to roll equally sized balls and set aside.
2. In a pan, begin to heat your oil. There should be enough to cover your meatballs when submerged. When hot, gently place your meatballs in the oil. Gently stir occasionally to make sure the meatballs do not stick to the bottom or sides and cook evenly.
3. When well browned, remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and set on paper towels to soak up any excess oil. Serve hot right away with an extra grating of cheese or drizzle of evoo for garnish and some dipping sauces.
Need to Order Wine Online to Pair?
Meaning dream, 'Kimere' is a monovarietal made from Bombino Bianco having a pale yellow color, delicate aromas of white flowers and peach. On the palette it is fresh, fruity, with saline texture and finish. It could be an alternative to recommend to a Pinot Grigio lover. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. From a small family estate in Northern Puglia in Southern Italy.
Ti estì means in the local Greek dialect 'what is this?' which gives you a clue about this wine. It is a monovarietal made by the Minutolo grape, which is an aromatic white grape grown in Puglia, Southern Italy, since 1200. Despite it being made in stainless steel, 'spicy' is a word to describe this white wine. The bouquet is intriguing, with white flowers, lemon and citrus candy and a hint of herbs. On the palette, tropical fruit flavors stand out, like lychee and banana.
Kiaros, meaning 'just in time,' is a delightful expression of a rose wine, or rosato as they say in Italian, made from 100% Nero di Troia grapes. It has a strawberry-like citrus nose and ripe plum and rhubarb taste, this is a pleasant, fruity and balanced rose with a slight saline finish. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. From a small family estate in Northern Puglia in Southern Italy.
Kalinero which means 'cheers' in Greek, both a salutation and also said while toasting, is a ruby colored steel fermented and aged red wine made from 100% Nero di Troia grapes. Its nose is reminiscent of prunes with a hint of vanilla and prunes carry on to the palette along with some rubarb and raspberries. It has a slight amount of tannins that hug your cheeks. It is easy to drink and balanced. From a small family estate in Northern Puglia in Southern Italy.
An organic & vegan natural wine made from 100% trebbiano abruzzese, a white wine grape which the New York Times cites a grape “worth knowing better”. It has an inviting straw yellow color and an exotic nose (look for the saffron!) and an intriguing fruity and herbal taste.
This white wine is age-worthy too! Fermented and refined in grandfather Febo’s concrete vessels.
Region: Italy > Abruzzo > Chieti
Tastes Like: Peaches and Saffron
Farming & Winemaking Highlights: Regenerative Agriculture | Sustainable Winery | Biodynamic | Native Yeast Fermentation | Vegan | Single vineyard | Old Vine | Organic | Natural Wine
Fun Facts: This wine is named from the single vineyard from which it comes, Parella in Chieti.
Rolland’s deep straw yellow or rusty color likens it to an orange wine, but this color comes from the vineyard, sun, and weather. A fresh and textured mouthfeel leaves you pondering and wanting to have another sip. We recommend to let it breathe before enjoying to the fullest.
The 2023 vintage offers a drier, more savory, and complex profile. With golden raisin and saffron flavors, it evolves into deeper sensations of caramel, sage, and a pronounced orange rind on the finish. It wraps up with a long, distinctive mineral finish. The 2023 really summarizes well the age-worthiness of this wine.
Region: Italy > Abruzzo > Spoltore & Chieti
Tastes Like: Golden Raisins & Saffron
Farming & Winemaking Highlights: Regenerative Agriculture | Sustainable Winery | Biodynamic | Native Yeast Fermentation | Vegan | Single vineyard | Organic | Natural Wine
Fun Facts: This wine is named for Grandfather Febo, Rolando, who bought the concrete vessels the family ages their wines in.
While made as a rosé wine, this Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is actually more like a light red wine thanks to the dark pigments of the Montepulciano grapes used, farmed on Febo family’s estate vineyards in Abruzzo.
The minimal intervention approach of this natural wine producer results in a lot of vintage variation year after year. For example, the 2021 Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo has a cherry taste with a salty finish, and is considered a “serious” rosé wine while the 2024 is a Rosorange color that bursts with blood orange flavors mixed with cherry.
Region: Italy > Abruzzo > Spoltore & Chieti
Tastes Like: 2021 - Cherries | 2024 - Tart cherries and blood orange
Farming & Winemaking Highlights: Regenerative Agriculture | Sustainable Winery | Biodynamic | Native Yeast Fermentation | Vegan | Organic | Natural Wine
Fun Facts: Both vintages are fermented with native yeast and refined in the winegrower's grandparents' concrete vessels. Great chilled and a good pairing is eggplant parmesan.
Made with 100% Montepulciano grapes spanning family vineyards in Spoltore and Chieti in Abruzzo, it has aromas of amarena cherries and licorice and a slight funkiness thanks to its 100% natural production. It tastes of dark fruit, with a rich texture and slightly bitter finish, with the funky vibe continuing while tasting. Fermented and refined in the winegrower's grandparents' concrete vessels.
Region: Italy > Abruzzo > Spoltore & Chieti
Tastes Like: Dark fruits
Farming & Winemaking Highlights: Regenerative Agriculture | Sustainable Winery | Biodynamic | Native Yeast Fermentation | Vegan | Organic | Natural Wine
Fun Facts: Pairs nicely with chicken parmesan. | While there is a famous wine “Vino Nobile di Montepulciano” from Tuscany, this grape has no connection to it; the “montepulciano name” there comes from the town noame, where as here in Abruzzo “montepulciano” actually refers to the grape used to make the wine.
Try Wines of Puglia and Abruzzo with Shipping Included in Curated VeroSets!
On the Adriatic Coast of Italy, lies Abruzzo and natural winery Febo. Run by siblings Laura and Davide, they are committed to sustainability in the vineyard and winery, crafting these wines that are natural, organic, and vegan. From a refreshing white wine to a rosé so deep it’s almost a light red wine, to an earthy red wine aged and elegant, the wines in this set cover a wide spectrum of what not only Abruzzo has to offer, but natural wine as well!
Shipping is also included in the Continental US with this set, and for your entire order!
This set includes:
Travel down the boot of Italy to Puglia, in the heel, and you will find some spectacular off the beaten path wines. Enter Domus Hortae of Orta Nova, near the spur of the boot heel. Family owned since the 1700s, today it is led by husand and wife team Rosanna and Pino. Specializing in native local varieties, they care for their land that is built on prehistoric seabeds with organic principles and integrated agriculture. Working as close to the land as possible, their wines have no trace of chemicals, copper, or added sulfur in their wines.
With this set, taste all four of their authentic Pugliese wines with these local varieties, like the Pinot Grigio like Kimere Bombino Bianco, the bolder herbaceous white Ti Esti Minutolo, and two iterations of nero di troia a strawberry-citrusy Kiaros rosé and the plummy fruity red Kalinero. In fact, this set gives a great variety, covering a variety of styles and flavors.
Shipping is also included in the Continental US with this set, and for your entire order!
This set includes:
Pair Also with Extra Virgin Olive Oil
From the hills of Abruzzo near the Adriatic Coast of Italy, comes this Organic EVOO, or Extra Virgin Olive Oil, farmed and made by the Febo family. Farmed sustainably and organic, this natural extra virgin olive oil is also vegan and, like all evoos, a first run - cold press olive oil, the best kind of olive oil for you.
The 2024 harvest is still made from a blend of olives like leccino and 500 year old trees, but now it is mostly the dritta cultivar.
Farming & Winemaking Highlights: Regenerative Agriculture | Sustainable Farming | Biodynamic | Vegan | No additives | Unfiltered | Organic
Fun Facts: The dritta cultivar is a rare one being saved by Davide Febo who is trying to save and rehabilitate it.
This is a woman made, limited production first cold press organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil from the Maremma hills of Tuscany made from a blend of four Tuscan cultivars. Buttery deliciousness with a bitter kick at the end, thanks to its polyphenols. It has won gold medals in a competition which judges the best extra virgin organic olive oils from around the world.
Farming & Winemaking Highlights: Regenerative Agriculture | Sustainable Farming | Biodynamic | Vegan | No additives | Unfiltered | Organic | Metodo Corino
Fun Facts: The natural farming method that produced this extra virgin olive oil, the metodo corino, is actually patented by La Maliosa woman winemaker Antonella Manuli after she helped to develop it with natural wine legend Lorenzo Corino of Case Corini.
A prestigious first cold press monocultivar organic extra virgin olive oil from the Maremma hils of Tuscany which has won best organic extra virgin olive oil from Tuscany! Its polyphenols which are used to determine how good an olive oil is, are exceptionally high!
Top awards include extra gold, as best Tuscan organic EVOO by Biol Novello which evaluates the best olive oils in the world. In the past this olive oil has also won Best in Italy, as well as Gambero Rosso 3 leaves (their highest rating).
Its aromas of grass, green pepper and mint lead to an intense hot pepper taste and a long finish with black pepper lingering in your mouth. Even just a little drizzled over a simple lettuce salad will bring it to life with flavor.
Farming & Winemaking Highlights: Regenerative Agriculture | Sustainable Farming | Biodynamic | Vegan | No additives | Unfiltered | Organic | Metodo Corino
Fun Facts: The natural farming method that produced this extra virgin olive oil, the metodo corino, is actually patented by La Maliosa woman winemaker Antonella Manuli after she helped to develop it with natural wine legend Lorenzo Corino of Case Corini.
This is an olive oil, super food for super foodies. This is small production organic & vegan extra virgin olive oil made primarily from a rare local cultivar from the area of Macerata Italy called Piantone de Mogliano. The buttery flavors and taste of this organic EVOO so inspired the family behind Quercia Scarlatta farm and winery in Le Marche Italy to name it ‘our gold’, or Il Nostro Oro.
Hand harvested and milled at the family’s farm, a first run, cold press evoo, this olive oil’s aromas remind you of stepping into a garden full of fresh green beans with a whiff of black pepper. Likewise, tasting it is like having fresh green beans with black pepper and butter, thanks to its buttery texture. Black pepper continues on the finish.
This organic extra virgin olive oil comes in a 3 liter container, made for following the Mediterranean diet to a tee!
