The MEATBALLS WITH LACINATO KALE are tasty, rustic meatballs from the Tuscan home-cooking tradition that marry a classic family dish—the meatball—with a particularly original and appealing vegetable. They can be served as a main course and, if you’re as indulgent as I am, paired with a pecorino cheese fondue that adds extra savoriness and character to the plate.
The hallmark of these meatballs is mainly that the moisture needed to make them soft and juicy—which grandmothers often achieved by soaking bread in milk—is here provided by boiled lacinato kale, which also adds color and a distinctive, very appetizing flavor.
A simple and quick dish, as you’ll see, but imagine them on the plate: nicely fried and served with good country bread… a feast for the eyes and the palate!
SEE MORE RECIPES WITH LACINATO KALE:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter
Ingredients
- 14 oz ground beef
- 3 cups lacinato kale (weight after cleaning (about 200 g))
- 1 egg (medium)
- 1 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano (grated)
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- Half glass white wine
- 3 tbsp + 1 tsp milk
- 1 oz Pecorino Romano (grated)
- 1 tbsp milk (cold)
- 3/4 tsp cornstarch (maizena)
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Pot
- 1 Pan
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Knife
Steps
Trim the lacinato 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 well, squeeze out excess water and chop finely.
In a bowl place the ground beef, the chopped kale, the egg, the Parmigiano-Reggiano, the breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
Mix everything well with your hands until you obtain a homogeneous mixture that is not too firm. If it seems too loose, add more breadcrumbs.
Form your meatballs, not too large, and set them aside.
In a large pan heat some oil. Add the meatballs and brown them well on all sides. Deglaze with the white wine and, once it has evaporated, add some water and salt. Cover with a lid and let them cook for 20-25 minutes.
In a small saucepan place the milk with the grated pecorino. Put over low heat and warm gently. Meanwhile dissolve the cornstarch in 1 tbsp of cold milk.
Add the milk mixed with the dissolved cornstarch to the warm milk and, stirring constantly with a whisk, thicken the sauce.
When the meatballs with lacinato kale are cooked, plate them, spoon over the hot pecorino cream and enjoy.
