Mangia Con Elena

Nonna's Italian Meatballs/Polpettone IG: @mangia.con.elena The other day I made a large batch of meatballs.  I make them very simple with few ingredients,   keeping with my Italian upbringing and the way my mother taught me. I then lay them flat on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper, freeze them, place them in freezer bags and store for when I want to make pasta, lasagna, pasta al forno or this delicious wedding soup. I will always make a large batch of regular sized meatballs and mini ones. As I do, my mind wanders to the hours that I would spend rolling meatballs with my mother at the little kitchen table. What I didn't know then was that I was making memories that I cherish deeply and hopefully pass these traditions on to my children.  Typically, the meat is a combination of ground pork, veal and beef. I prefer to use chicken or turkey instead of the veal but that of course is up to you! Let your taste buds be your guide! The ingredients are just guidelines as this really d

  Lasagna I f you are visiting this  then you must love lasagna as much as I do! It's a great meal that can be made well in advance and frozen. When I make lasagna, I make at least 2 trays and freeze one for another night! It can be labour intensive as there are several steps involved but the end result is well worth the work!  There are many different ways of making lasagna and I truly believe there isn't one "right" way. The best way is the way that works for you! This is the way my mother makes lasagna and I've only recently returned to this version. I have tried it several different ways but I find that for me, this one works best. For this version you will need to make sugo di carne. Please look at my sugo di carne recipe to make the sauce. When making sauce for lasagna I like it super meaty so I add another pound of ground beef and 6 italian pork sausages. I add a layer of ricotta cheese to my lasagna but I am aware that it is not everyone's favourite.