By Chef Kenny Bowers
Ingredients:
Yields 6 to 10 servings
- 12 ounces (3/4 of a loaf) white bread
- 3 cups whole milk
- Salt, iodized, to taste
- Black pepper, table grind, to taste
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 ounce fresh basil, chopped (3/8” no stem)
- 2 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 1/2 pounds ground pork
Directions:
- Tear the bread into small pieces, about 1 inch in size. In a large bowl, combine the milk and bread. Mix together by hand until the bread is fully dissolved in the milk, creating a soupy paste-like consistency. Add salt, pepper, cheese, and basil, then mix well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before proceeding to the next step.
- Gently incorporate the meats, ensuring an even distribution throughout the mixture.
- With slightly damp hands, form 4-ounce meatballs (approximately 20 in total).
- Place the meatballs onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 400 degrees for around 20 minutes until they are medium brown and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
- Transfer the meatballs to an oven-proof dish, top them with your favorite marinara sauce, cover with mozzarella cheese, and bake until the cheese is brown and bubbly, approximately 3 minutes at 450 degrees.
Kenny Bowers is owner and executive chef of Kenny’s Wood Fired Grill (Dallas), Kenny’s Burger Joint (Plano and Frisco), Kenny’s Italian Kitchen (Dallas), and Kenny’s Authentic East Coast Pizza (Plano).
