Mondeghili
Mondeghili are traditional Milanese fried meatballs made from leftover boiled meat, soaked bread, and parsley, crisp-fried in golden butter.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Mixing bowl
- •Meat grinder or food processor
- •Heavy frying pan
- •Slotted spoon
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 31 g
- carbs
- 22 g
- fibre
- 1.5 g
- protein
- 28 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Tear the stale bread into a bowl and pour over the milk to soften.
- 2
Squeeze the bread firmly to remove excess liquid and place it into a large mixing bowl.
- 3
Add the minced boiled beef and chopped mortadella to the bowl.
- 4
Mix in the beaten egg, grated Grana Padano, parsley, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- 5
Work the mixture with your hands until smooth and evenly combined.
- 6
Shape into slightly flattened oval patties roughly the size of a walnut.
- 7
Roll each patty gently in the fine breadcrumbs to coat all sides evenly.
- 8
Melt the butter in a heavy frying pan over medium heat until foaming.
- 9
Fry the meatballs in batches for three to four minutes per side until deep golden and crisp.
- 10
Transfer to kitchen paper to drain briefly, then serve hot.
Chef's tips
Do not skip the mortadella or a little cured sausage, as lean boiled beef needs the fat for flavour and moisture. Keep the frying heat at medium so the butter turns hazelnut-brown without burning.
Ingredient substitutions
- mortadella → salame cotto or unsmoked pork sausage meat
- cooked boiled beef → leftover pot roast beef or boiled veal
Storage
Store leftover cooked meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a dry frying pan or a low oven at 160C until warmed through and crisp.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using raw minced beef instead of pre-cooked meat, which changes the classic texture and moisture.
- •Frying in olive oil instead of butter, which loses the authentic Milanese profile.
- •Failing to squeeze the milk out of the soaked bread, making the mixture too wet to hold its shape.
Serving suggestions
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