Play With Your Polpetti

By Katie Barreira

These tiny Italian meatballs are so cute you’ll just want to eat them up – and you should!  Versatile and perfectly sized for popping, polpetti have a tendency to disappear before leaving the kitchen. And those that escape immediate consumption can be put to good use in a multitude of dishes; so make a ton and have a ball! (…or ten.)

Try it as-

• An easy party nibble: A platter-full of polpetti, armed with toothpicks and served alongside hot marinara for dipping, is the ideal appetizer for a crowd. The meatballs can be mixed a day ahead, refrigerated and cooked off at the last minute. (They can also be cooked in advance and reheated, in a 375 degree oven; they won’t be quite as crisp, but you won’t hear anyone complaining.)
• A soothing soup: Sauté chopped carrots, celery and onions in a large pot; pour in chicken stock, bring to a simmer, add polpetti and cook until heated through. Serve with rustic bread for mopping or stir in cooked rice for a heartier soup.
• A distinctive pizza topping: Top prepared pizza dough with sauce, your favorite cheese combo (I like shredded mozzarella and pecorino romano),  thinly sliced green peppers and polpetti for a pretty presentation of chicken-sausage and peppers pie.
• A gyro filler: Spread a warm flatbread with prepared tzatziki sauce, make a line of polpetti down the center and top with chopped tomatoes, sliced red onion and shredded lettuce. Roll up and gobble down!

Chicken Polpetti
The combo of light and dark meat makes for super tender and rich meatballs that could easily pass for pork. Ask your butcher for a half-pound of each, or just purchase separately and mix yourself. If this means you have to buy more than you need, simply freeze the leftovers for a future foray.

1 pound ground chicken, half dark meat and half white meat
1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup grated onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil

1. In a large bowl, mix chicken, breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, onion, salt and pepper; roll into 1-inch (about 2 teaspoons) or smaller sized balls.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook meatballs on all sides until well browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.

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