Region: Italy
Category: Beef
Season: Winter
Difficulty: Easy
When I have dinner guests during the work week I like to serve a quickly 
prepared dish that is pleasing to the palate but also something a little more impressive than a "family" dinner and also something that won’t take me hours to prepare. This kind of dish, called polpettone in Italian, which means "big meatball," fits the bill. I blend the ingredients and hard-boil the eggs in the morning, let it rest in the refrigerator during the day and then assemble and cook it in the evening. It’s quite perfect.
[photo: Clifford A. Wright]
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Preparation Time: 40 minutes
1 small onion, very finely chopped
1 celery stalk, very finely chopped
1/4 cup very finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon very finely chopped fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 1/4 pounds twice-ground beef
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon pistachios, shelled and crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 large eggs, hard-boiled and shelled
1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the onion, celery, parsley and marjoram, then add the beef, breadcrumbs, ricotta, and pistachios, season with salt and pepper, and knead using both hands until all the ingredients are very well blended. (You can cover and refrigerate for later use or continue with the preparation at this point; do not refrigerate for more than 12 hours).
3. In a 12 x 9 x 2-inch baking casserole, flatten the ground meat mixture until it covers the bottom of the casserole. Line up the hard-boiled eggs lengthwise in the middle of the flattened meat. Fold the meat over lengthwise and pinch closed so that the meat is cylinder-shaped and the eggs are safely sealed inside. Squeeze, pinch, and mold the meat to make sure the seam is sealed and doesn't pop open when you bake it. Cover and refrigerate to cook later (not more than 2 hours) or place in the oven and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.
Variation:
Note:
Posted: 12/12/2006
