Meat balls are known the world over, whether they be Swedish or sweet, as a plated, skewered or spaghetti-adorning lump of spiced and meaty goodness. The meat balls from Naples in southern Italy originally had a soft doughy center, but with the Americanization of Italian cooking, breadcrumbs became the standard. These particular meat balls are baked, but they can be broiled, fried or cooked in sauce, precooked and frozen for future use, or just plain eaten. And while this recipe says that it serves 6, if combined with spaghetti or angel hair, this would be enough to serve 8-10. A note on the ingredient list. This calls for nutmeg and cloves, which are aromatic additions. Some recipes call for raisins and nuts, but these are more traditional, historical even. I don’t think I’d try that. But, the nutmeg and cloves appear to be an homage to the long history of Napoleon style meat balls. enjoy!

Meat Balls Napoli

2 eggs

1/2 c milk

3 slices bread crumbled

1 1/2 lb ground chuck

1 med onion

1 clove garlic (cook changed to 1/2)

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

dash cloves

dash nutmeg

Mix all ingred

Shape into balls. Place in well greased shallow baking pan. Bake uncovered 15 min. Brush with pan drippings & bake 15 min longer. 450F.