Italian
Poor Man's Meatballs with Pumpkin Cream and Parmesan Sauce
by Manu Food · 60K subscribers on YouTube
A humble yet delicious recipe from the Italian tradition: bread meatballs without meat, served with a creamy pumpkin velouté and a cold Parmesan sauce. Perfect for using up stale bread and creating a comforting, nutritious meal.
- Difficulty
- easy
Ingredients
19 items- 300 gPumpkinpeeled and cubed
- 150 gPotatoesabout 100-150g, peeled and cubed
- Onion1 small onion, chopped
- Vegetable Brothas needed (about 1-2 ladles)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oilfor cooking and frying
- Saltto taste
- Black Pepperto taste
- 150 gMilkwhole milk
- 15 gFlourall-purpose flour
- 15 gButterunsalted butter
- 40 gParmigiano Reggianograted
- Mollica di Pane Raffermo1 bowl of stale bread, soaked in water and squeezed dry
- 1 pcsEgglarge egg
- Black Olivesa handful, pitted and chopped
- Capersa tablespoon, rinsed and chopped
- Parsleya small bunch, chopped
- Garlic1 clove, grated
- Scamorza(optional) — a small piece, chopped (optional; can substitute with another semi-soft cheese)
- Breadcrumbs(optional) — a little, if needed to adjust consistency
Method
- Prepare the pumpkin cream: sauté a little chopped onion in olive oil.
- Add the diced pumpkin and potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and add a ladle of vegetable broth.
- Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15–20 minutes.
- Remove the liquid (reserve it) and transfer the solid vegetables to a blender. Blend until smooth, adding a little of the reserved liquid if needed to achieve a creamy consistency. Set aside.
- Prepare the Parmesan sauce: melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat.
- Add the flour and stir to make a roux; cook for a minute.
- Gradually pour in the milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook until the sauce thickens.
- Remove from heat, add the grated Parmesan and a pinch of salt, and mix well. For a silky texture, blend with an immersion blender or pass through a sieve. Chill in the refrigerator until needed.
- Prepare the meatballs: soak the stale bread in water, then squeeze out all the water. Place the squeezed bread in a bowl.
- Add the egg, grated Parmesan, chopped black olives, capers, parsley, a clove of grated garlic, chopped scamorza (or other semi-soft cheese), and a little breadcrumbs if the mixture feels too soft. Season with salt and pepper.
- Mix everything together until well combined.
- Shape the mixture into small balls (about the size of a walnut). Roll them lightly in flour if desired.
- Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a frying pan. Fry the meatballs until golden brown and crispy on all sides. Drain on paper towels.
- Assemble the dish: spread some pumpkin cream on a serving plate, arrange a few meatballs on top, and drizzle with the cold Parmesan sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley or microgreens.
