L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano W h o d o e s n ' t l o v e m e a t - b a l l s ? Fried, in tomato sauce, on t o p o f p a s t a , o r o n t h e i r own, they are the ultimate comfort food. Used to the deliciousness of my own grandmother's polpette al sugo, a staple of my childhood — which I attempt to make often, even though they quite never hit the spot as much as those nonna made — I was sur- prised to learn, while leafing t h r o u g h t h e p a g e s o f L a Cucina Italiana, that Milan h a s i t s o w n v e r s i o n o f p o l p e t t e . T h e y a r e c a l l e d mondeghili, and they are a true living expression of the city's past — shaped by for- e i g n i n f l u e n c e , e c o n o m i c n e c e s s i t y , a n d t h e e v e r - e v o l v i n g c u l i n a r y h a b i t s you'd expect in a place as cosmopolitan as Milan has always been. The name "mondeghili" i t s e l f h i n t s a t t h i s c o s - m o p o l i t a n o r i g i n , a s i t c o m e s f r o m t h e S p a n i s h word albondigas, meaning m e a t b a l l s , w h i c h i n t u r n comes from the Arabic al- bunduq, referring to small round objects like hazelnuts. Now, if there is an example of linguistic and culinary exchange, this is it: during the Spanish domination of Milan from 1535 to 1706, the Iberian rulers left their mark o n l o c a l f o o d , a n d m o n - d e g h i l i w e r e o n e o f t h e r e s u l t s . A s M a s s i m o L a n a r i points out in his excellent article for La Cuci- na Italiana (the one that picked my interest), while in most of Italy meatballs are round by default, in Milan, the more typical polpette are usually rolled or wrapped. The spherically shaped ver- sion — our mondeghili — is the real Spanish legacy. B u t i f y o u t h i n k m o n - d e g h i l i b e l o n g e d t o t h e dominant Spanish élite of m a n z o n i a n a m e m o r i a , t h i n k a g a i n , b e c a u s e y o u would have been more likely to find them on the table of Renzo Tramaglino than on that of Don Rodrigo. They were a frugal solution to a common problem: what to do with leftover meat. True t o t h e s p i r i t o f c u c i n a povera, mondeghili were originally made with boiled b e e f s c r a p s , s o m e t i m e s enriched with bits of salami, mortadella, liver sausage, or whatever else was available. These were mixed with stale bread soaked in milk, a bit of grated cheese, eggs, pars- ley, salt, and pepper, then fried in butter. The goal was to waste nothing and stretch ingredients into something good. I n t h e D i z i o n a r i o M i l a n e s e - I t a l i a n o o f 1839, Francesco Cherubini described mondeghili as "a kind of meatball made with leftover meat, bread, egg, and similar ingredients." Three years later, physician Angelo Dubini wrote in his b o o k L a C u c i n a p e r g l i Stomachi Deboli (Cooking f o r W e a k S t o m a c h s ) t h a t one should "never eat mon- deghili at the tavern," sug- gesting they were a dish not f o r t h e d e l i c a t e o r f a i n t - hearted. Over time, howev- er, the recipe changed. Pota- toes, which were initially rare in Milanese kitchens, made their way into some versions by the 19th century. Tomato sauce — common in Spanish albondigas — also made an occasional appear- ance. Still, the essential idea stayed the same: reuse, recy- cle, fry, enjoy. M i l a n r e c o g n i z e d t h e value of the dish officially in 2008, granting it De.Co. (Denominazione Comunale d'Origine) Status, a label meant to preserve the city's g a s t r o n o m i c h e r i t a g e . Indeed, modern chefs and eateries continue to honor this tradition, and there are a few places in town known for their mondeghili, includ- i n g O s t e r i a d e l T r e n o , Trattoria Masuelli, and t h e m o r e c o n t e m p o r a r y Ratanà. Each has its own take, but the spirit of the dish remains intact — home- l y , n o s t a l g i c , a n d . . . Milanese. This quiet revival o f l o c a l d i s h e s l i k e m o n - deghili in modern Milan is, to say it with the author of the Divina Milano blog, about cultural memory. It connects older generations with their childhoods and younger ones to the youth of their parents and grandpar- ents. W i t h s o m u c h i n t e r e s t around them — and so many trendy restaurants offering their own version — it isn't s u r p r i s i n g t o l e a r n t h a t many tours of Milan high- light mondeghili as must-try bites for food lovers: they're served in aperitivo spreads, paired with a glass of red wine or a spritz, and often shared among friends. Their small size and crisp exterior make them a natural crowd- pleaser, but it's their back- story that gives them lasting appeal! Last but not least, mon- deghili also carry a certain literary mystique — as the literature fanatics among y o u m a y h a v e n o t i c e d i n s o m e o f m y w o r d s i n t h e p r e v i o u s p a r a g r a p h s : Alessandro Manzoni, in The B e t r o t h e d ( I P r o m e s s i S p o s i ) , h a s h i s c h a r a c t e r Renzo tempted by a plate of m o n d e g h i l i o f f e r e d a t a n inn. But scholars agree these were not mondeghili as we k n o w t h e m . R a t h e r , t h e y likely referred to rolled meat preparations more typical of Milanese osterie at the time — proof that terminology has always been fluid when it comes to polpette in Lom- bardy. Fancy giving it a go? Here w e p r o p o s e L a C u c i n a Italiana's 2021 recipe for Milan's mondeghili, which comes with the assurance it is the "traditional" one. A q u i c k s e a r c h o n l i n e w i l l show you plenty of famous Italian culinary platforms — from Giallo Zafferano, to t h e o n l i n e v e r s i o n o f t h e Cucchiaio d'Argento — pitching their own recipe: choose your favorite! Traditional mondeghili Ingredients (serves 6): 1 ¼ l b s b o i l e d b e e f (preferably brisket or chuck) ⅔ cup milk 4 oz mortadella (about 2 thick slices, chopped) 3 oz stale bread (about 2 slices, crust removed) ½ c u p g r a t e d G r a n a Padano (or Parmesan) 3 tbsp unsalted butter 3 tbsp clarified butter (or substitute with more regular butter) 4 eggs Breadcrumbs, as needed S a l t , p e p p e r , c h o p p e d parsley, flour (for seasoning, dredging, and coating) Preparation: Soak the stale bread in milk for 15–20 minutes. F i n e l y c h o p t h e b o i l e d beef and mortadella, then pass through a meat grinder. Mix with 2 eggs, grated c h e e s e , s a l t , p e p p e r , a n d chopped parsley. Add the soaked bread and combine thoroughly. Shape the mixture into around 20 slightly flattened meatballs (about 50 g each). D r e d g e i n f l o u r , d i p i n beaten eggs, then coat in breadcrumbs. Fry in clarified butter and regular butter until golden on both sides. Serve hot. CHIARA D'ALESSIO Delicious mondeghili, a delicacy from Milan (Photo: Paul Brighton/Shutterstock) LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES Mondeghili: Milan's hearty meatballs with a rich, centuries-old story to tell

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