Myers - Global Meatballs: Around the World in Over 100 Boundary Breaking Recipes, From Beef to Bean and All Delicious Things in Between

Adeline Myers

We all love meatballs. They evoke memories of our grandmothers kitchens, of family dinners, and of holidays. Meatballs have a charming quality. The humble, misshapen rounds are quaint, delightful, and mysterious. Meatballs feel definitively handmade, a mark of time and love.

The meatball is more than a round ball of meat. On our wide planet they are made with meats, fish, grains, vegetables, and legumes. Their names shine with possibility: albondigas, bitki, frikkadel, kefta, kofta, kufteh, kotlecky, klopsiki, pulpety, polpetes .

The meatball has range and is not as homely as we may think. In cultures where meat has historically been abundant, like Northern Europe, Scandinavia, and North America, meatballs are common comfort food, made with few ingredients and very little fuss by all households. Where meat was scarce, such as in Italy, meatballs included lots of bread, were made on festival days, and were usually small and very special. Where meatballs were made for the banquet tables of kings and noblemen, they were filled with riches like pine nuts, pomegranates, and innumerable spices.

The beauty of a meatball is in its simplicity.

Ground/mashed protein: meat, fish, vegetables, or legumes

Light texture: bread, bread crumbs, flour, starch, or grains

Moisture: milk, water, yogurt, or wine

Binder: whole egg, yolk, white flour, or starch

Depth of flavor: herbs, spices, or salt

These are only guidelines. Many meatballs are made with only the ground protein and spices, with no egg, wheat, or milk. If you are cooking for someone whose dietary choices limit things like egg, gluten, dairy, or meat, you will find plenty of options among the recipes of this book. And do as our meatball-loving ancestors did and change, modify, and make the meatball local to where you live.

I have arranged this book by protein: meat, poultry, fish, and vegetable. Arranged within each chapter are courses: appetizers, soups/stews, sandwiches, and mains. Lastly, within each course, recipes are arranged from light to rich in flavor. Meatballs with sauces of fresh herbs precede creamy gravy dishes. Happy meatball making!

The basic ingredients of meatballs are simple: protein, eggs, breadcrumbs, and seasoning.

Size and Cooking Time

Each recipe indicates the recommended size of the meatball. Cooking times given are for the indicated size. If you make smaller or larger balls, be sure to shorten or lengthen your cooking time.

Three Tips for Forming the Balls

Make them compact, without large cracks.

Use wet hands for neat results; they will be far less sticky.

Make them the same size, so they finish cooking at the same time.

And How to Stuff Them

Stuffed meatballs are a real surprise, often filled with melting cheese. They are easy to make.

a. Form the mixture into a ball.

b. Using a thumb, press a deep hole into the ball. Place the filling inside.

c. Take a little more of the mixture and use it to cover the filling. Roll the whole thing so it is round and compact.