The bread balls originated as a dish to recycle or prevent waste of stale bread that may be left over in any kitchen. However, they are a unique and tasty main course that is also suitable for vegetarian cuisine.
Prepared with stale bread, milk, eggs, grated cheese, and spices, these delicious bread balls fill our tables from appetizers to main courses.
The milk should be added warm to soften the stale bread, and I recommend adding it in two stages to avoid making the dough too soft. Don’t worry if you add too much milk; just add more chopped bread if the dough seems too soft after all ingredients are added.
After preparing the dough, you can choose different cooking methods for the bread balls: you can fry them, bake them in the oven, or cook them in the sauce as I suggest in this recipe.
There are also various recipes for bread balls, differing from region to region and especially from family to family. In any case, they are much more than just an anti-waste dish. I propose my version without frying the balls before putting them in the sauce.
For those who love varied bread balls, remember also
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 342.33 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 55.12 (g) of which sugars 3.60 (g)
- Proteins 13.18 (g)
- Fat 9.16 (g) of which saturated 3.48 (g)of which unsaturated 2.18 (g)
- Fibers 4.60 (g)
- Sodium 883.57 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 220 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz stale bread
- 2/3 cup milk (warm)
- 1 egg
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 bunch parsley
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- 1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot
- to taste red pepper flakes
- 14 oz tomato pulp
- 1/4 glass water
- to taste coarse salt
- a few leaves basil
Tools
- 1 Food Processor kenwood
- 1 Pot
Preparation
The first step to prepare this recipe is to blend the stale bread with the warm milk. When the bread is rather homogeneous, still in the food processor, add the egg, salt, pepper, chopped garlic, and parsley. Blend for about a minute, or until you get a soft dough that holds together when formed by hand. If the dough seems dry, add a bit of milk; if it’s too soft, add some blended bread or breadcrumbs.
While preparing the dough for the balls, in the pot, add the oil listed in the ingredients for the sauce. Break up the shallot into it, add the red pepper flakes, and sauté over medium heat.
When the shallot is well golden, add the tomato pulp to the pot, along with water, and season with salt. Cook covered until boiling.
When the sauce begins to simmer, prepare your balls and place them in the sauce. I help myself by taking a spoonful of dough, rounding it between my hands, and placing the ball in the sauce that is cooking.
Let the balls cook in the sauce for about 15 minutes, turning them occasionally. At the end of cooking, turn off the heat and add a few basil leaves. If the sauce reduces too much, you can add a little more water. Here’s a photo of the balls from the inside because, unfortunately, I can’t let you taste how tasty and soft they are.
NOTES
Bread balls in sauce without frying are really delicious, soft, and succulent. The simple sauce, slightly spicy and basil-flavored, is the perfect complement for a truly tasty dish where you can mop up the sauce. My advice is to consume these balls hot.
If you liked the recipe or have any questions, don’t hesitate to comment here or on social media. Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and X.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use whole grain bread?
You can use any stale bread you have at home, including white focaccia. It’s important to be mindful of the salt added to the dough.
