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Provolone Cheese Ball Recipe - Polpettine di Provolone

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By , About.com Guide

Provolone Balls, or Polpettine di Provolone: Meatballs are a standby of Italian cuisine. These cheese balls are a little more unusual, but will work nicely with a tossed salad in a light luncheon, and will also be a good antipasto or party food. The recipe will also work well with caciocavallo cheese. To serve 4 you'll need:

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2/5 pound (180 g) sharp provolone
  • 6 ounces (150 g) day-old bread (a piece of a loaf rather than slices) or breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup finely minced parsley
  • 4-5 eggs, depending upon their size
  • Oil for frying
  • A little flour
  • A pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper
  • Creamy tomato sauce (see below link)

Preparation:

Grate the cheese and the bread. Mince the parsley. Put the breadcrumbs through a strainer to insure that there are no large pieces, and combine them in a bowl with the cheese and the parsley; season the mixture with a pinch of nutmeg, a grind of pepper, and a little salt, keeping in mind that the cheese is also salty. Next, mix in three eggs.

The mixture will be fairly stiff; turn it out onto a floured counter top and divide it into 2-3 equal parts. Roll them under your palms to make snakes the diameter of your thumb, and cut the snakes into 1 1/4-inch (3 cm) lengths. Roll the pieces between your palms to make balls, flatten them so they are about a half-inch thick, and flour them.

While you are preparing the balls set your oil to heat on the stove; it should be quite hot but not smoking.

Beat the remaining eggs in a bowl; dredge your cheese balls in the egg, and fry them in the hot oil for a couple of minutes, or until golden. Drain them on absorbent paper and serve them hot, with creamy tomato sauce for those who want it.

Yield: 4 servings Provolone cheese balls.

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