Meatballs emilia-romagna with pasta sheets

Pasta and macaroni Italian cuisine

Although I have never been, I have been fascinated with this region of Italy ever since I first tasted tagliatelle with a game ragu. I like the richness of the food and yet it never seems overly heavy and filling. I think it has to do with the restraint and balance of the rich and decadent foods they use. I chose to use ground short ribs for the base of the meatball for several reasons. One they stay moist because of the fat content, two I also caramelize the meatballs because that is one of the great things about short ribs is how rich they become after browning. I also grate the onion and garlic on a micro plane so it permeates the bread crumb and milk panade and then the entire meatball. If you make these meatballs hours ahead of time and put them in the fridge when you go to roll them they will seem like they are not going to bind together. As you work them in your hands the heat of your hands will soften the fat and the will come together nicely. - thirschfeld