3 slices of stale bread (of your choice), crusts removed
1 egg
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Light olive oil for shallow frying
Method Serves: 4-6
Soak the stale bread slices in a small bowl of water then squeeze them dry.
In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients except the meat and knead well. That will help soften the onions and blend the ingredients homogeneously.
Stir in the ground meat, season with salt (about 1 – 2 tsp.) and ground black pepper to your taste. Knead for a good 3-5 minutes with your hands, until the mixture becomes elastic and mixed well. Cover this mixture with a cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, have a bowl of water next to you for shaping the meatballs. First wet your hands and take a small tangerine size of the meat mixture and roll into a ball. Slightly flatten each ball with the heel of your hand. Place the meatballs on a tray/plate side by side and continue until all the meat mixture is shaped into meatballs.
Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a wide, heavy (preferably non-stick) pan and place the meatballs, 4 -5 at a time. Cook for about 6 -8 minutes (3- 4 minutes each side), until cooked and browned on all sides. Alternatively, you can grill them until brown both sides.
Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.