Pendolino’s meatball recipe is ‘loved by all’

I dined at Pendolino near Chastain recently and really enjoyed their meatballs and pomodoro sauce. Are they willing to share the recipe?

PAUL DAVIS, Atlanta

Kevin Maxey, Pendolino’s owner and chef, shared the recipe with this note. “I have made some version of these meatballs that I learned at Craft Restaurant back in 1999 for the last 25 years. These meatballs are perfectly tender and loved by all.

“At Pendolino, we serve them as an appetizer with pomodoro sauce, garnished with basil sprigs and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, with garlic toast alongside. As an entree, the meatballs are served with house-made thick-cut spaghetti called spaghettoni.

“The sauce recipe is straightforward to make, and as with many sauces, benefits from resting several hours or overnight in the refrigerator. The sauce develops a wonderful sweetness while it reduces, and the fruity olive oil rounds out the flavor and mouthfeel. And it freezes well.”

Using a stand mixer to combine the meatball ingredients contributes to the tender texture, and ricotta helps the meatballs stay moist. Maxey recommends Polly-O brand ricotta, available at Publix. We found any day-old white bread, with or without crusts, will work.

For finishing the sauce, Maxey said: “The tomatoes will start to fall apart on their own from cooking. You then mash them until there are no more large pieces of tomato. At this point, the sauce will be fairly smooth. If the reader likes it smoother, then they would keep mashing.”

Pendolino’s Meatballs and Pomodoro Sauce

• 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta
• 2 cups (½-inch cubed) day-old white bread
• 3 eggs
• 1 pound ground veal
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
• 1 cup grated pecorino Romano
• 3 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste, divided
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon ​grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ​dried oregano
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Peeled cloves from 1 head garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes
• 3 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
• 1⅔ cups water
• 3 sprigs fresh basil, plus more for serving

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine ricotta, bread and eggs. Beat on high speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Turn mixer off.
2. Add veal, pork, Parmigiano-Reggiano, pecorino Romano, 2 tablespoons salt, pepper, nutmeg and oregano. Turn mixer to low and beat 1 minute or until ingredients are thoroughly combined.
3. Transfer mixture to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. While meatball mixture is in the refrigerator, make the sauce: Warm oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute until sizzling rapidly, stirring constantly. Do not allow garlic to get any color.
5. Add fennel seeds and red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
6. Add tomatoes and their juices, water, remaining 1 tablespoon salt and basil. Turn heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, 1 hour.
7. While sauce simmers, finish meatballs: Heat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet.
8. Remove meatball mixture from refrigerator and form 16 meatballs. Arrange on prepared baking sheet.
9. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and discard any accumulated liquid. Hold meatballs until sauce is ready.
10. Finish sauce: Remove basil sprigs. Use a potato masher to crush tomatoes until the desired sauce texture is achieved (see note).
11. Taste for seasoning and add reserved meatballs. Simmer 15 minutes and serve with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano and basil, if desired.

Makes 16 meatballs and 10 cups sauce.

Per meatball: 235 calories (percent of calories from fat, 54), 21 grams protein, 6 grams carbohydrates, trace total sugars, trace fiber, 14 grams total fat (7 grams saturated), 98 milligrams cholesterol, 1,044 milligrams sodium.