Name: Italian Meatballs Without Tomato Sauce (Polpette in Bianco)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef, or a mix of beef and pork (500 g ); 2.1 oz stale bread (60 g); 1/2 cup milk (120 ml ); 2 eggs; 1 tbsp grated Parmigiano or pecorino; 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley; 1 zest of lemon; 2 tbsp butter (28 g); 1/2 cup white wine (120 ml); 1 cup beef stock (240 ml ); 1 tsp salt

Recipe

Polpette in bianco are Italian meatballs without tomato sauce, seared in butter and braised in white wine and stock. I make them with beef, stale bread soaked in milk, Parmigiano, parsley and lemon zest. They are one of the first dishes I remember liking as a child.

In Italian, in bianco means without tomato sauce, as in my spezzatino in bianco.

I was only four years old, and my mother made them very small and tender so we all ate them with enthusiasm.

That was a very basic version, and with time more ingredients were added.

Besides deglazing them with white wine, my Zia Benella added lemon zest, and it was such a pleasant discovery.

It makes a lot of sense, because lemon zest is also the secret ingredient of the classic ossobuco alla Milanese.

For more minced meat recipes, you can check my fried polpette, which are used in lasagna or consommé, my meatloaf and my hand pies.

Ingredients

These are the ingredients you need for polpette in bianco:

Ground beef: I use beef, but a mix of beef and pork works too.
Stale bread: stale bread has more structure and flavor than panko.
Milk: the bread soaked in milk is what makes the meatballs soft.
Eggs: fresh eggs hold the meat together.
Parmigiano: you can also use pecorino for a spicier taste.
Parsley: I always use fresh herbs, never dried.
Lemon: only the zest goes into the meatballs. Make sure you buy unwaxed lemon.
Butter: it is the fat for searing the meatballs.
White wine: it deglazes the pan after searing.
Stock: a little beef stock braises the meatballs.

Find the measurements in the recipe card.

ingredients for Italian Meatballs Without Tomato Sauce

Why I don't flour my polpette in bianco

You can flour the meatballs if you want a creamier sauce, but the flour tends to flatten the flavor, so I don't.

Equipment

A frying pan with a lid: you sear the meatballs in the pan and then simmer them covered in the stock.

The stock covers only half of the meatballs, and the lid keeps the temperature constant and traps the steam while they simmer.

Step by step instructions

Soak the stale bread in the milk for 30 minutes, then squeeze out the milk and make sure the bread has completely softened.

Put the bread in a bowl with the ground beef, eggs, Parmigiano, chopped parsley, lemon zest and salt.

Mix everything together

Melt the butter in the frying pan and cook the onion until translucent.

Shape about 18 small meatballs and put them directly into the pan as you roll them.

To make them perfectly round, prepare a bowl of warm water and wet the palms of your hands before rolling each meatball.

Sear the meatballs until browned on all sides.

Deglaze the meatballs with the white wine.

Add the beef stock until it covers only half of the meatballs

Then cover the pan and simmer them for 20 minutes.

Turn the meatballs during cooking so they absorb all the flavors uniformly.

Transfer the meatballs to a serving dish and

Deglaze the pan with more stock to make a gravy

Pour the cooking juices over them.

Serving suggestions

In Italy we do not serve meatballs with pasta, so polpette in bianco are served with a side dish.

I serve them with potatoes, spinach or mashed potatoes, and my crispy Italian roasted potatoes go well with them.

You can prepare the meatballs ahead and freeze them uncooked, then cook them at the last minute, which is even better than freezing them cooked.

If you freeze them, make sure the ingredients were not frozen before.

FAQ

Do Italians eat spaghetti and meatballs? No, in Italy we do not serve meatballs with pasta. However, we sometimes make small fried meatballs to stuff lasagna or to serve in consommé.

Are meatballs good without tomato sauce? Yes, polpette in bianco are deglazed with white wine and then cooked covered with a little stock.

What do I do with the bread after soaking it in milk? Squeeze out the milk and make sure the bread has completely softened before you add it to the meat. Soaking the bread in milk makes the meatballs soft. I use stale bread because it has more structure and flavor than panko.

Why do my meatballs fall apart? Meatballs fall apart when the mixture has too much liquid or too little binder. The eggs are the binder that holds the meat together. The bread soaked in milk needs the right proportion, enough to make the meatballs tender but not so much that they become too soft, so squeeze it well. In the pan, give the meatballs room and turn them only once a crust has formed, because the crust keeps them from crumbling while they finish cooking. Keep the stock at a gentle simmer, as strong bubbling breaks them, and make them small so they brown evenly.

Can I bake them instead of searing them? Yes, you can bake them at 350°F (180°C) for 30 minutes, covered in a casserole so the temperature stays constant.

Can I use a different meat for polpette in bianco? I use beef, but a mix of beef and pork works too.

Can I make them ahead or freeze them? Yes, and they are even better frozen uncooked and cooked at the last minute. Make sure the ingredients were not frozen before.

More recipes with minced meat

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