Baked Potato Meatballs

Baked potato meatballs are a delicious and simple dish to prepare. Here’s how to do it:

Ingredients

• 1 kg of potatoes
• 1 egg
• 100 g of grated cheese (parmesan or pecorino, depending on taste)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Nutmeg, to taste (optional)
• Breadcrumbs, to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil, for greasing the baking dish

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Boil the potatoes in salted water until they are tender. Drain and let cool down.
3. Once cool, peel them and mash them with a potato masher or a fork, until you get a smooth puree.
4. Add the egg to the potato puree, the grated cheese, salt, pepper and, if you like, a pinch of nutmeg. Mix well until you have an even mixture.
5. Take some of the mixture and form meatballs about the size of a walnut or slightly larger. Roll them in breadcrumbs to cover evenly.
6. Grease a baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil and place the meatballs on it, leaving some space between each one.
7. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden, turning them once halfway through cooking to ensure they are evenly browned.
8. Remove the meatballs from the oven and serve them hot.

Trivia

In Italy, meatballs come in different variations, both meat and vegetable. Potato meatballs are very popular because they are a comfort food that reminds of family dinners. They are also versatile: they can be served as an appetizer, as a side dish, or they can become a main dish if accompanied by a fresh green salad.

An Italian touch: For an even richer flavor, you can add chopped cooked ham or mozzarella cubes to the mixture, to create stringy meatballs once baked. Alternatively, for a more Mediterranean variation, consider adding finely chopped aromatic herbs like parsley.