The MEAT AND TUSCAN KALE MEATBALLS are tasty, rustic little meatballs from the Tuscan home-cooking tradition that combine a classic family dish — meatballs — with a particularly original and interesting vegetable. They can be served as a main course, accompanied, if you are greedy like me, by a pecorino cream that adds extra savoriness and character to the dish.
The distinctive feature of these meatballs lies mainly in the fact that the moisture needed to make them soft and juicy — which grandmothers often achieved with bread soaked in milk — here is provided by boiled Tuscan kale, which also adds color and a particular, very appetizing flavor.
A simple and quick dish, as you will see, but imagine them on a plate, nicely fried and served with some good homemade bread… A feast for the eyes and the palate!
SEE OTHER RECIPES WITH TUSCAN KALE:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 14 oz ground beef
- 7 oz Tuscan kale (weight after cleaning)
- 1 egg (medium)
- 1 oz Parmesan
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- Half glass white wine
- 3 1/3 tbsp milk
- 1 oz Pecorino Romano
- 1 tbsp milk (cold)
- 3/4 tsp cornstarch (maize starch)
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Pot
- 1 Pan
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Knife
Steps
Trim the Tuscan kale, remove the central rib from the leaves and wash them under running water. Boil them in plenty of salted water for 5 minutes.
Drain and cool them in cold water. Then drain, squeeze well and chop them finely.
In a bowl place the ground beef, the Tuscan kale, the egg, the Parmesan, the breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
Mix everything well with your hands until you obtain a homogeneous mixture that is not too firm. If it is too soft, add more breadcrumbs.
Then form your meatballs, not too large, and set them aside.
In a large pan pour some oil and heat it. Add the meatballs and brown them well on all sides. Deglaze with the white wine and once it has evaporated add some water and season with salt. Cover with a lid and let them cook for 20-25 minutes.
In a small saucepan put the milk with the grated Pecorino. Place over low heat and warm gently. Meanwhile dissolve the cornstarch in the 1 tbsp of cold milk.
Add the milk with the dissolved cornstarch to the warm milk and, whisking continuously, let it thicken.
When the meat and Tuscan kale meatballs are cooked, plate them, spoon over the warm pecorino cream and enjoy.
