Polpette di Pane Molisane
Polpette di pane Molisane, also known as pallotte di pane, are tender meatless dumplings made of stale country bread, eggs and sharp cheese simmered in rich tomato sauce.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 490 kcal
Equipment
- •Large mixing bowl
- •Deep sauté pan or wide saucepan
- •Box grater
- •Slotted spoon
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 490 kcal
- fat
- 20 g
- carbs
- 54 g
- fibre
- 5 g
- protein
- 22 g
- calories
- 490 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the torn stale bread crumbs into a wide mixing bowl.
- 2
Add beaten eggs, grated pecorino, grated caciocavallo, chopped parsley, half the minced garlic and black pepper.
- 3
Knead the mixture firmly with your hands until it forms a soft, pliable, cohesive dough.
- 4
Shape the dough into walnut-sized balls using lightly oiled hands.
- 5
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a deep sauté pan over medium heat.
- 6
Fry the bread balls for three minutes, turning gently until a pale golden crust forms.
- 7
Transfer the browned balls onto a plate with a slotted spoon.
- 8
Add remaining olive oil and garlic to the pan, cooking until fragrant and golden.
- 9
Pour in the tomato passata, season with salt and simmer gently for ten minutes.
- 10
Lower the fried bread balls and basil leaves carefully into the simmering sauce.
- 11
Cover with a lid and simmer gently on low heat for twenty minutes until soft and plump.
Chef's tips
Use dense country sourdough or durum wheat bread with open crumb; pre-sliced sandwich bread will turn soggy and disintegrate. If the bread dough feels too dry to shape, add a spoonful of milk or water. If it feels too wet, rest it for ten minutes so the dry crumbs absorb the egg.
Ingredient substitutions
- Pecorino Molisano or Pecorino di Capracotta → Pecorino Romano or aged Canestrato
- caciocavallo cheese → mature Provolone or Parmigiano Reggiano
Storage
Store leftover dumplings in their tomato sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a covered saucepan over low heat with a splash of water until piping hot throughout.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using fresh soft bread instead of stale loaf, which makes the dumplings gummy.
- •Boiling the tomato sauce too vigorously, which breaks the delicate bread balls apart.
- •Skipping the light frying step, which helps set the outer surface before simmering.
Serving suggestions
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