By: Liz Rizzo
Ingredients Needed:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 loaf white bread
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs
- 8 ounces Precious Mozzarella Whole Piece
- 6 ounces sliced ham
- 6 Tbls milk
- Olive oil (1-2 cups)
- Parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
Meatball Recipe:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup torn bread pieces
- 1 egg
- Salt and pepper to season
- Parmesan cheese (2 Tbls)
Supplies needed:
- One small package of 6” size wooden skewers
- Medium frying pan
- Medium mixing bowl
- Cutting board and knife
- Small flat bowl for egg wash
Instructions:
1. Stack 4 slices of bread at a time on a cutting board and cut the bread crusts off. Take the bread crusts and tear into small pieces, enough to make one cup of pieces. Set aside the slices of bread without the crust for later use. You will eventually slice up the whole loaf of bread for this recipe.
2. Mix the ground beef, egg, bread pieces, parmesan cheese, and seasoning in a medium bowl. This is easier if mixed with your hands. I use latex gloves for safer handling of raw meat.
3. Shape the meat mixture into 1” inch size meatballs. Make up all the meatballs before starting to fry them.
4. When the meatballs are shaped you can heat up some olive oil in a fry pan. I add macadamia oil to the olive oil as it has a higher flash temperature. You can use any oil of our choice. Place as many meatballs as will fit in the pan and brown all sides. Remove the cooked ones and place on a plate with a paper towel to drain excess oil. Let the meatballs cool while you prepare the next ingredients.
5. Cut the remainder of the bread into 1” X 1” squares, removing the crusts. Save the crusts for the birds or let them dry out for homemade bread crumbs. I make my own breadcrumbs in the blender, adding some seasonings and then putting them in the freezer for later use.
6. Cut the ham into 1” squares. Cut the cheese into similar size cubes. Set all the ingredients on the counter or table in assembly line fashion. Put 2 eggs and 6 Tbls milk in a flat bowl. Using a fork or whisk, blend together until evenly mixed.
7. Pour 1-2 cups dry breadcrumbs in a separate plate.
8. Dredge each Spedini in the egg mixture and immediately dip into the bread crumbs. Set the breaded spedini’s on another plate. After all the spedini’s are dipped and breadcrumb coated, you can fry them in new olive oil in a large fry pan. Fry all sides until golden brown. Some of the cheese will start to melt but you can push it back into the Spedini. When brown, remove from pan and place on a plate.
Enjoy this delightful recipe as an appetizer. You can add a salad and this makes a perfect meal. This is great to bring as a potluck dish. Remember to give a few spedini’s away to a neighbor or friend to spread that Aloha Spirit!
