Oven-Baked Meatballs

Oven-baked meatballs are an excellent choice for a tasty dish that’s a bit lighter than the fried version. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

• 500g ground meat (beef, pork, or a combination of the two)
• 50g breadcrumbs
• 30g grated Parmesan
• 1 egg
• 1 clove of garlic
• Fresh parsley to taste
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• (Optional) A bit of milk, if the mixture is too dry

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
2. In a large bowl, place the ground meat.
3. Add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, finely chopped garlic, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper.
4. Knead all the ingredients by hand until you obtain a homogeneous mixture.
5. If the mixture is too dry, you can add a bit of milk to soften it.
6. Form small meatballs with your hands, the size of a walnut.
7. Arrange the meatballs on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and brush them lightly with extra virgin olive oil.
8. Bake the meatballs and let them cook for about 20-25 minutes or until golden and crispy on the outside.
9. Halfway through cooking, you can turn them to brown evenly.

Note:

These meatballs can be served both as an appetizer and as a main course, accompanied by a side of steamed vegetables or salad. For an extra Italian touch, you can serve the meatballs with a bit of homemade tomato sauce.

Enjoy your meal!