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1
Combine the finely grated Pecorino, eggs, squeezed bread, parsley, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Work the mixture until fully uniform. Press a small amount between the fingers: it is ready when it holds a clean ball shape without crumbling or spreading.
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2
Roll the mixture into balls of 3–4 cm diameter with lightly dampened hands. Set aside on a tray. This is where the dish lives or dies: if the balls flatten under their own weight, the bread was insufficiently squeezed or added in excess; the mixture must be corrected before frying proceeds.
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3
Heat the olive oil in a deep, heavy pan to 175 °C. Lower the balls in batches, turning them to colour evenly on all sides. Fry for 3–4 minutes total. They are done when the exterior is uniformly deep gold and the surface is dry to the eye — not pale, not dark brown.
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4
Lift the pallotte with a slotted spoon and drain on a rack or absorbent paper. The crust should feel firm and dry under the back of a spoon; any greasiness indicates the frying temperature was too low.
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5
Warm the olive oil for the sauce in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant but not coloured. Add the San Marzano tomatoes and basil. Season sparingly — the pallotte will contribute all the salt the dish requires. Cook the sauce, uncovered, until it thickens slightly and smells sweet and reduced, approximately 10 minutes.
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6
Add the fried pallotte to the tomato sauce. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 10–12 minutes. The balls will swell slightly and absorb the tomato flavour. Remove from the heat before 15 minutes have elapsed; beyond that point they become waterlogged and lose their texture. The sauce should taste balanced — the Pecorino's salt cut by the tomato's acidity.
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7
Serve the pallotte in their sauce, as a secondo or a substantial primo. Each ball, when broken at the table, should reveal a golden-fried exterior and a dense, cheese-set interior.