Mondeghili: Milanese meatballs fried in butter

Introduced by the Spaniards, mondeghili are Milanese meat-based, flavored meatballs. Fried in butter, they are a very tasty typical dish.

Known as mondeghili, these traditional meatballs were imported by the Spaniards . During the Spanish domination, the original recipe of this typical product spread in Milan, gaining immediate success. Initially, they were prepared with leftover meat that was found in the kitchen and still today, various types of meat are used, to be flavored with lemon and nutmeg. After being breaded, these tasty balls are fried in butter . Thanks to their exceptional flavor, they remain a much loved typical second course.

Easy to do, they will make you fall in love at the first taste!

Preparation of the recipe for mondeghili

1. Before starting, boil the leftover pieces of raw meat in a pot full of salted water. It will take about 1 hour.
2. Fill a bowl with milk and dip the stale bread crumbs inside to soften it.
3. Take the liver mortadella and remove the outer casing. First cut it into slices and then into small cubes.
4. Once the cooked ham is cooked, transfer it to a blender. Add the mortadella and blend to obtain a crumbled mixture.
5. Pour the result into a bowl and add the softened crumb, after squeezing it .
6. Add the chopped parsley, grated cheese, egg and nutmeg. To make them irresistible, flavor with grated lemon zest.
7. Season with salt and pepper and knead with your hands to mix all the ingredients.
8. Take a little dough at a time and knead it, to give the typical shape of meatballs to Milanese mondeghili. As you go, place them on a tray.
9. Pour the breadcrumbs into a bowl and roll it one meatball at a time.
10. Put the butter on a non-stick pan and melt it on the stove.
11. When ready, fry a few meatballs at a time, browning them on each side.
12. As they are ready, take them with a slotted spoon and place them on a tray covered with absorbent paper. Once warm, they will be ready to taste!

storage

This recipe is handed down from generation to generation and, now, it’s up to you to bring your grandmother’s dear mondeghili to the table. If they are left over, you can keep them for 2-3 days in the fridge , closed in an airtight container.

Let’s move from an Italian dish to an oriental one. Have you ever tried the fantastic meatballs known as chickpea falafel?