Italian Meatballs

1. Season the Meat

Season the ground grass-fed beef and ground pork shoulder with a generous pinch of salt and a few twists of fresh-ground black pepper.

2. Soak the Bread

Place the torn pieces of day-old country-style bread into a bowl and pour the milk over them. Let the bread sit and soften.

3. Grate the Onion

Grate the small yellow onion using the large-holed side of a box grater.

4. Combine the Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened bread with the seasoned meat and the grated onion.

5. Add the Remaining Ingredients

Add the olive oil, garlic paste, chopped oregano, parsley, a pinch of cayenne pepper, the lightly beaten egg, and grated Parmesan cheese to the bowl. Season with a bit more salt and black pepper.

6. Mix the Ingredients

Mix the ingredients gently with your hands or a wooden spoon until they are just combined. Avoid overmixing.

7. Form the Meatballs

Form the meat mixture into meatballs using your hands or a small ice-cream scoop. Aim for uniformity in size.

8. Cook the Meatballs

To cook the meatballs, you can either bake or pan-fry them. For baking, preheat your oven to 450°F and bake for about 6 minutes or until just cooked through. For pan-frying, heat oil in a cast-iron pan over medium heat and cook until browned and just cooked through.