Mondeghili (Milanese Meatballs)

for 18 Mondeghili (Milanese Meatballs)

• Beef brisket: 1 ¼ cups (300 g)
• Liver mortadella (or Bologna): ? cup (80 g)
• Egg: 1
• Stale bread (crumb): 1 cup (130 g)
• Grana Padano DOP cheese: 2 tbsp (20 g)
• Whole milk: ? cup (80 g)
• Zest of 1 untreated lemon
• White onion: 1
• Celery stalk: 1
• Whole black pepper: to taste
• Carrot: 1
• Nutmeg: to taste
• Chopped parsley: 1 tsp (5 g)
• Fine salt: to taste
• Ground black pepper: to taste

For the Breading and Cooking

• Breadcrumbs: 8 tablespoons
• Butter: 1 cup (250 g)

1. To prepare the mondeghili, start by boiling a pot of salted water with the celery, roughly chopped carrot, and onion studded with cloves. Bring it to a boil.
2. Cook the beef brisket over medium heat for about 1 hour, until it softens. Occasionally skim off any impurities from the surface. After cooking, let the beef cool, then crumble it into a bowl.
3. Soak the bread crumbs in milk in a separate bowl. Once softened, add them to the cooked beef.
4. Remove the casing from the liver mortadella, slice it, and finely chop. Add this to the beef mixture and pass everything through a meat grinder.
5. Add the grated lemon zest, the egg, grated nutmeg, and Grana Padano cheese. Mix everything well with your hands to combine.
6. Add the finely chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper, and mix again.
7. Shape the mixture into 18 small, oval-shaped meatballs, each weighing about 35 grams. Press them lightly to flatten slightly.
8. Coat each mondeghili with breadcrumbs, ensuring even coverage.
9. Heat the butter in a non-stick pan, and cook a few meatballs at a time for 1-2 minutes on each side, until evenly browned.
10. Drain the mondeghili on paper towels to remove excess butter and serve hot.