Southern Italy's closely guarded secret for cooking incredibly tender meatballs

There's no mystery, no fuss. These meatballs are the best you've ever eaten. Chef's word... pastry chef's word!

Pastry chef Matthew Cutolo, who works at Gargiulo's, agreed to reveal a family secret to the American media outlet Parade. To achieve ultra-soft Italian meatballs, even the next day, you need to incorporate the right amount of bread.

For the Italian-American chef, these meatballs are much more than just a dish. They evoke "a large family gathering" eager to taste Nonna's delicacies. "When I prepare these meatballs, I'm not trying to improve my grandmother's recipe. I'm trying to preserve it," he summarizes.

Ingredients for 4 to 6 people:

• 900g of minced beef
• 4 slices of white bread
• ½ bowl of finely grated Pecorino Romano
• 2 eggs
• Parsley
• 1 onion
• 1 small can of tomato paste
• 2 jars of passata
• 1 cup of red wine
• Fresh basil
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Preparation:

First, soak the bread in water. In a bowl, mix it with the ground beef, Pecorino Romano cheese, eggs, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Work the mixture just enough to obtain a homogeneous blend, without packing the meat too tightly.

Form the balls with your hands. Brown them in small batches in a casserole dish with a generous amount of olive oil. Once nicely browned, place them on a plate.

In the same pot, sauté the finely chopped onion for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour in the red wine and let it reduce for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the passata, season with salt and pepper, and then stir in the fresh basil. Finally, return the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for about 2 1/2 hours over low heat, with the lid slightly ajar.