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1
Tear the stale Italian bread into pieces and submerge in the milk. Leave until completely soft and the milk is fully absorbed, about 10 minutes. Squeeze gently — the bread should feel like a wet sponge, not a dry crumb.
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2
Combine the three ground meats in a large bowl. Add the soaked bread, eggs, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix with the hands until the ingredients are just incorporated — this is where the dish lives or dies: work the mixture with the lightest possible touch, stopping the moment no streaks of egg or bread remain. Overworking compacts the proteins and produces a dense, rubbery result.
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3
With lightly dampened hands, form the mixture into balls of 5–7 cm diameter. Apply minimal pressure — the ball should barely hold its shape. Set aside on a tray. The surface should look rough and slightly shaggy, not smooth and compressed.
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4
Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat, or preheat an oven to 200°C. Brown the meatballs on all sides in the skillet, or place on a rack and bake until coloured. The exterior should show a deep mahogany crust and the kitchen will smell of the Maillard reaction — savoury, caramelised, and distinct from the raw meat beneath.
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5
Transfer the browned meatballs into the marinara sauce, brought to a gentle simmer in a wide saucepan or sauté pan. The sauce should cover the meatballs by at least half. Simmer uncovered for 30–60 minutes, turning once. The meatballs are done when they yield to gentle pressure without resistance and the sauce has visibly penetrated the outer layer, the cut surface showing no pink.