Tradition

On Christmas, early afternoon, after presents were opened, pannetone was eaten and hot cocoa or tea was sipped; it was time to make Italian meatballs for the afternoon feast. For all the years my Mother has made them, I have taken them for granted. I have always had a good idea of what they consisted of and how my Mother makes them, but I never sat down with her and actually made them.


So, this was it. My moment of glory or failure. I was to make the meatballs, with my Mother supervising. She is so very sweet; everyone should have a supervisor like her!


So, there I began the first of many meatball making years to come.
Mixing beef, veal and pork, chopped garlic, parsley, Italian style bread crumbs, whole egg(s)salt/pepper, freshly grated parm. cheese - so began the start of it all. Two clean hands are the best utensils to have.


I am adding bread crumbs.



Rolling, rolling, rolling...that was the next step. I loved cooking w/my Mother and taking in the aromas of the day. She reminesced about her childhood days with her Mother, and I soaked it all up.


This is my Mother using kitchen twine to tie up the brascole which is a strip of beef, with added seasonings, and a hard boilded egg in it. It gets rolled, tied, and cooks in the sauce with the rest of the meatballs, and is it every delicious!

I wish I had more picture to show you, but we became so busy, that the camera took the backseat and was forgotten about. We fried the meatballs until browned. Whole peeled tomatoes were then purified in the blender and poured in a large cooking pot.THEN...the simmering began and continued for a couple of hours, until the house was permeated with the hungry scent of sauce. We ate raviolis (fresh from a neighborhood store), soft like pillows and tasted heavenly.

I plan to make the meatballs again so I improve my culinary skills for one of the most foods near and dear to my heart. And of course, that includes my Mother - even more near and dear to my heart.