Zesty Italian Meatballs

Ingredients Deep Dive

What to grab (and what to leave on the shelf)

🌶️ The Pepperoncini Secret

Pepperoncini (12 oz jar): Castelvetrano only (not “mild”). Must be drained 50% (not fully—juice = flavor gold).

Critical prep: Use 1 tbsp juice in meatballs → rest in sauce. Full juice = overpowering.

Why Castelvetrano? Nonna’s rule: “These peppers kiss, not bite. Others scream.”

🥩 The Meat Trinity

Ground beef (3 lbs): Chuck only (not “85/15”). Must be chilled (not room temp—melts into grease).

Parmesan (16 oz): Parmigiano-Reggiano only (not “Parmesan”). Must be block-cut (pre-shredded = wax-coated tragedy).

Eggs (2): Farm-fresh only (not grocery store). Must be room temp (cold eggs = tough meatballs).

🌿 The Herb Wisdom

Dried parsley (2 tbsp): Hand-crushed only (not pre-cut). Must be rubbed between palms (releases oils).

Marinara (40 oz): Rao’s only (not “homemade-style”). Must be undrained—liquid = flavor.

Roasted peppers (10 oz): Bianco DiNapoli only (not jarred). Must be sliced thin (not chopped—cooks unevenly).

Pro tip: Buy Parmesan at dawn. That’s when markets restock—richest, most flavorful.

Step-by-Step: Nonna Lucia’s Kitchen Wisdom