Pecorino and Lemon Meatballs – Italian Recipe

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Homemade Italian veal meatballs with Pecorino cheese, lemon zest and parsley, browned in a frying pan.

These pecorino and lemon meatballs are a tasty alternative to the more traditional versions. The combination of savoury, slightly sharp Pecorino cheese and fresh lemon gives them a lovely balance of flavours, while parsley and garlic add an extra touch of freshness.

They make a delicious main course, served warm with a side dish of your choice. If you make them smaller, they are also perfect as finger food, served slightly warm or even cold – a handy idea for a buffet or an informal gathering.

I like to use an ice cream scoop to portion the mixture, so that all the meatballs are roughly the same size and cook evenly.

Pecorino and Lemon Meatballs

Yield: 5 servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes (estimate)
Resting time: None
Cooking time: 15–25 minutes, depending on the size
Total time: About 35–45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 500 g minced veal (or half veal and half pork)

  • 100 g grated Pecorino cheese

  • 100 g breadcrumbs

  • 1 egg

  • 1 handful of chopped parsley

  • Juice of ½ lemon

  • Zest of 1 lemon

  • 1 garlic clove

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • Extra breadcrumbs or plain flour, for coating

  • 5 tablespoons olive oil

Method

  1. Place the minced meat in a large bowl. Add the grated Pecorino, breadcrumbs, egg, lemon juice and zest, crushed garlic and chopped parsley.

  2. Season with salt and pepper, then mix everything together thoroughly with your hands.

  3. Shape the mixture into meatballs, choosing the size you prefer. An ice cream scoop is useful for making them evenly sized.

  4. Roll each meatball in breadcrumbs or flour until lightly coated.

  5. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and brown the meatballs on all sides.

  6. Continue cooking for 15–25 minutes, depending on their size, turning them regularly so they brown evenly and cook through.

Serve warm as a main course, or make smaller meatballs and offer them as finger food, either warm or cold.

Notes

  • You can use all minced veal or a mixture of veal and pork.

  • The cooking time depends on the size of the meatballs. Make sure they are thoroughly cooked in the centre.

  • For evenly sized meatballs, use an ice cream scoop to portion the mixture.

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