Recipes Comfort Food Meatballs Sicilian-Style Meatballs 5.0 (5,074) 4 Reviews Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli say that dried currants and pine nuts make these meatballs distinctly Sicilian. Plus: More Italian Dishes By Frank Falcinelli and Frank Castronovo Updated on October 9, 2019 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Andrew Purcell Active Time: 1 hrs Total Time: 1 hrs 45 mins Yield: 12 Ingredients Two 28-ounce cans peeled Italian tomatoes, crushed 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 4 slices of white sandwich bread 4 large eggs, beaten 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 teaspoon minced marjoram 2 pounds ground beef chuck 1/2 cup dried currants 1/4 cup pine nuts 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving 1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying Directions Pour the tomatoes into a large enameled cast-iron casserole and crush them. Add the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, soak the bread in water until saturated. Squeeze out the water and transfer the bread to a large bowl. Mash the bread to a paste and stir in the eggs, garlic, parsley, marjoram, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Mash until smooth. Add the chuck, currants, pine nuts and cheese and mix until combined. Add the bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time, and knead until the mixture is firm enough to roll. Form the mixture into 36 meatballs (about 3 tablespoons each), tucking in the currants and pine nuts. In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the meatballs in 2 batches and fry over moderate heat, turning, until browned and cooked through, about 12 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to a plate. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve in bowls, passing more cheese at the table. Suggested Pairing These marjoram-inflected meatballs seem to have been created with the Sicilian red variety Nero d' Avola in mind. Rate it Print