THE mondeghili they are one of the symbols of the Milanese culinary tradition. Arrived in Milan at the hands of the Spaniards who ruled the city between the 16th and 17th centuries, these meatballs are a delight for the palate. Prepared with boiled meat, mortadella, vegetables and stale bread and flavored with lemon zest and nutmeg, they are then fried in butter to make them even more appetizing and tasty. Here is the original recipe of Mondeghili, also called ‘mondeghini’, (even if every Milanese family jealously owns one): they are easy to prepare and an excellent second course, as an alternative to the classics meatballs with sauceto think about when you have leftover meat from the day before.

Preparation

1

To prepare the Milanese Mondeghili, start by peeling the onion and peeling and trimming the carrot.

2

Put a large pot on the stove with plenty of salted water and add the celery stalk, carrot, onion and beef steak. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat until the meat has softened. It will take at least 1 hour. After the time necessary for cooking the meat, turn off the heat and let it cool completely.

3

Separately, in a bowl, pour the milk and the crumbs of the stale bread into small pieces. Leave to soften for a few minutes.

4

In the meantime, take the cooled boiled meat, crumble it finely (or chop it with a mixer) and add it to the milk with the bread. Mix well and set aside.

5

Separately, in another bowl, break the egg, grate the lemon peel and also add the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Beat with a hand whisk and set aside.

6

In a blender, chop the mortadella and add it to the other ingredients: then pour the meat mixture and the minced mortadella into the bowl with the beaten egg. Mix everything well with a spoon.

7

Take the parsley, wash and dry it and chop it finely with a crescent or other sharp knife.

8

Then add the chopped parsley and grated cheese to the mixture of meat and mortadella and mix vigorously with your hands in order to mix all the ingredients well.

9

At this point, form balls of dough weighing about 30 g each. With the doses indicated in the recipe, 20 pieces should result.

10

Pass each ball made in the breadcrumbs, turning them over so that it adheres in all points. Place the breaded meatballs on a work surface, ready to be cooked.

11

Put a large non-stick pan on the heat and melt the butter in it. Once dissolved, lay the Mondeghili on it.

12

Cook them for about 3 minutes per side. turning them with tongs or a fork, to obtain uniform cooking and browning.

13

Once cooked, drain the Mondeghili and place them on a plate with absorbent kitchen paper, so that they release the excess butter. Finally, serve the Mondeghili piping hot.

Accessories

• Chopping board
• Potato peeler
• Sharp knife (and optional crescent)
• Large pot
• 2 bowls
• Mixer (optional)
• Grater
• hand whisk
• Large pan
• Kitchen tongs or fork
• Absorbent kitchen paper

Tips and tricks

• If the melted butter dries up and runs out during cooking, add more to prevent the surface of the Milanese meatballs from burning and taking on an unpleasant taste.
• It is possible to vary the type of meat for the preparation of Mondeghili, using tender cuts of veal or beef, or adding the sausage; or you can add other vegetables such as potatoes. Frying is traditionally done in butter, but it is also possible to do it with a mix of butter and oil.

storage

Keep the Mondeghili already cooked in the refrigerator, closed in an airtight container and consume them within 2/3 days at the latest. Alternatively, you can freeze them to always have them available. Just defrost them by leaving them for a few hours in the refrigerator or placing them in the microwave and then reheating them before consuming them.

History

The origins of the Mondeghili are ancient and tell of cultural influences and contaminations of different peoples. In fact, it would seem that these meatballs were introduced in Milan during the period of Spanish domination of the city (1525-1700). In the Spanish language, in fact, the meatball is called ‘albondinga’ and ‘albondeguito’. The Milanese, over time, Italianized the term by calling it first ‘albondeghito’ and then arriving at ‘mondeghilo’.

But Spanish culture was heavily influenced by that Arabwhich he called the meatballs ‘al-bunduck’, influenced by that itself Persian. In short, a chain of cultural encounters and historical influences dating back hundreds of years ago led to the birth of the Milanese Mondeghili, just as we know them today.

In any case, what is certain is that Mondeghili have traditionally been a poor peasant dish and anti-waste, precisely because once no leftovers were thrown away. Today they are the symbol of the Milanese culinary tradition and can be found on numerous menus in restaurants and trattorias.