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Mondeghili (fried breaded beef and pork meatballs)

Name: Mondeghili (fried breaded beef and pork meatballs)
Prep time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Makes 25-30
Cuisine: Italian recipes
Ingredients: 50g unsalted butter; 25g onion, finely chopped; 25g celery, finely chopped; 25g carrot, finely chopped; 500g cooked beef, finely chopped; 75g mortadella, finely chopped; 75g stale bread, whizzed into crumbs; 50ml red wine; 125ml whole milk; 125g grana padano, finely grated; 2 medium eggs; 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped; 4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped; 2 sage sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped; To cook the meatballs; 30g plain flour; 1 medium egg, beaten; 40g fine breadcrumbs; Olive oil to fry

By: Naz Hassan

Published: 29 Aug 24
Updated: 4 Oct 24

Mondeghili (fried breaded beef and pork meatballs)

These rich, crunchy meatballs – a Milanese mainstay – may have begun as a way to use up leftover meat, but they’re now a popular aperitivo snack. You can trace mondeghili back to when the Spanish ruled Milan (1535 to 1706) – they were likely an evolution of Spain’s pork meatballs, albóndigas. Chef Naz Hassan, who grew up in Milan before moving to London, shares his recipe.

“As a child, I’d visit the beautiful houses of my affluent Milanese friends. Bollito misto, a meaty stew, was a mainstay on the menu, but being from a working-class immigrant family, I always dreamed of the flavourful mondeghili that could be made from the stewed beef the next day,” says Naz.

Born in Bangladesh and raised in Milan – Lombardy’s cultural capital – Naz Hassan has cooked in some of the most loved restaurants in London over the past 14 years. He has been head chef at Anglo, Crispin and, most recently, Pidgin in Hackney. Now, going solo, he plans to focus on the food of his heritage, creating dishes that celebrate a combination of Italo-Bengali flavours.

Discover what makes Lombardy’s food so special in our full guide to the region.

Easy
September 2024

Test kitchen approved

Makes 25-30
Hands-on time 1 hour, plus 1 hour cooling

Discover what makes Lombardy’s food so special in our full guide to the region.

Nutrition: Per mondeghili (for 30)

Calories: 94kcals
Fat: 5.4g (2.8g saturated)
Protein: 8g
Carbohydrates: 3g (0.5g sugars)
Fibre: 0.1g
Salt: 0.2g

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Ingredients

50g unsalted butter
25g onion, finely chopped
25g celery, finely chopped
25g carrot, finely chopped
500g cooked beef, finely chopped
75g mortadella, finely chopped
75g stale bread, whizzed into crumbs
50ml red wine
125ml whole milk
125g grana padano, finely grated
2 medium eggs
2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
2 sage sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped

To cook the meatballs

30g plain flour
1 medium egg, beaten
40g fine breadcrumbs
Olive oil to fry

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Method

Heat the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, then add the onion, celery and carrot. Cook for 5 minutes until starting to turn golden. Add the beef, mortadella and breadcrumbs, then cook for another 5 minutes until combined.
Pour in the wine, leave to simmer for 1 minute, then pour in the milk. Cook for another minute, stirring, until the mixture dries out. Remove from the heat, leave to cool slightly, then beat in the cheese, eggs and herbs. Cover and leave to cool for at least 1 hour.
Once cooled, divide the mixture into 25-30 balls weighing 25-30g each. To cook, set up 3 shallow bowls: one with the flour, one with the beaten egg and one with the breadcrumbs. Season each bowl with salt and pepper.

Put a wide frying pan over a medium heat and add a healthy glug of olive oil. Take a meatball and flatten it slightly so it resembles a small burger patty, then dip in the flour, egg and breadcrumbs. Add to the pan and cook for 6 minutes, turning and flipping, until golden all over. Work in batches and top up the oil as needed. Serve with a glass of red or a bicicleta cocktail.

Recipe from September 2024 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 94kcals
Fat: 5.4g (2.8g saturated)
Protein: 8g
Carbohydrates: 3g (0.5g sugars)
Fibre: 0.1g
Salt: 0.2g

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Recipe By:

Naz Hassan

Published: 29 Aug 24
Updated: 4 Oct 24

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Barbara Rhodes says:

28th Sep 2024 at 8:53 am

This recipe really appeals to me. When I make it, I will use gluten free breadcrumbs and flour. A different and potentially useful take on left over meat.

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1. Vic Grimshaw says:
  
  30th Sep 2024 at 2:22 pm
  
  So glad to read you’ll try it! Do let us know how it goes with your gluten-free substitutes.