The Italian-American meatball — large (golf ball to tennis ball sized), made from a blend of beef, pork, and veal, bound with soaked bread and egg, seasoned with garlic, Parmesan, and Italian herbs, and simmered in marinara sauce — is a fundamentally different product from Italian *polpette* (smaller, often fried, rarely simmered in sauce, and never served on spaghetti). The Italian-American meatball was born in the immigrant communities of the Northeast, where beef was cheap and abundant (unlike in Southern Italy, where it was scarce), and the large, sauce-simmered meatball became a way to stretch meat across a family table. Spaghetti and meatballs — the dish that the rest of the world considers "Italian" — is Italian-American, full stop.
Large, round meatballs (5-7cm diameter) of ground meat (the classic blend is equal parts beef, pork, and veal — the *meatloaf mix*), soaked bread (stale Italian bread torn and soaked in milk until soft — this is the key to tender meatballs), egg, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, chopped flat-leaf parsley, salt, and pepper. Formed by hand (not packed tight — gentle hands produce tender meatballs), browned in a skillet or baked at 200°C until coloured on the outside, then simmered in marinara sauce for 30-60 minutes until cooked through and saturated with sauce.
1) The soaked bread is the tenderiser — it provides moisture that prevents the meatball from becoming dense and rubbery. Without it, the meatball is a hamburger patty in ball form. 2) Three meats — beef for flavour, pork for fat and sweetness, veal for tenderness. All-beef produces a dry, dense meatball. 3) Gentle hands — overworking the meat compacts it. Form the balls with minimal pressure; they should barely hold together. 4) Brown first, then simmer in sauce — the browning develops Maillard flavour; the simmering finishes the cook and allows the sauce to penetrate.
Spaghetti and meatballs: the meatballs are served on top of the sauced spaghetti, not mixed in. The presentation matters — each meatball is an event on the plate. The meatball sub — a split Italian roll filled with sauce-simmered meatballs and melted mozzarella — rivals the chicken parm hero as the greatest Italian-American sandwich.
Packing the meatballs tight — tough, dense, dry. Omitting the soaked bread — same result. All-beef — dry without the pork's fat. Not browning — the meatballs lack the seared exterior that provides flavour contrast against the soft, sauce-soaked interior.
Arthur Schwartz — Arthur Schwartz's New York City Food; Marcella Hazan (for the Italian contrast)