🇮🇹 Italian · Main Dish
🧀 Pallotte Cacio e Ova
Pallotte Cacio e Ova
Rustic Abruzzese fried balls of cheese, egg, and breadcrumbs, simmered in a light tomato sauce — historically a meatless stand-in for meatballs during periods of fasting.
Born as an inventive meat substitute for Abruzzo's poorer rural families, especially during Lent and other fasting periods, pallotte cacio e ova have since become beloved in their own right, their savory, cheesy interior a satisfying surprise inside a light tomato sauce.
Ingredients
Equipment: Mixing bowl, Deep pot for frying, Saucepan for sauce
- 250 g (2½ cups) stale bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces
- 200 ml (¾ cup plus 1 tbsp) milk
- 200 g (2 cups) grated pecorino cheese
- 4 eggs
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Breadcrumbs, as needed
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 600 g (1.3 lb) canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 onion, chopped
- 60 ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Soak the bread in the milk until softened, then squeeze out excess liquid.
- Combine the soaked bread with the pecorino, eggs, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper into a thick, moldable mixture, adding a little breadcrumb if too wet.
- Rest the mixture for 15 minutes, then shape into small balls, about the size of a walnut.
- Heat vegetable oil to 175°C (345°F) and fry the balls in batches until golden all over.
- Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion until softened.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and simmer for 15–20 minutes to make a light sauce.
- Add the fried balls to the simmering tomato sauce and cook gently for 10 minutes, allowing them to absorb some of the sauce.
- Serve hot, with plenty of sauce spooned over.
Chef Tips
- Squeeze the soaked bread thoroughly to avoid a mixture that's too wet to shape properly.
- Fry the balls until well-browned before adding to the sauce, which helps them hold their shape through the final simmer.
- These freeze well before the final tomato-sauce simmer, making them a good make-ahead option.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using a mixture that's too wet, causing the balls to fall apart during frying.
- Skipping the initial fry and simmering raw balls directly in the sauce, which won't hold together as well.
- Oversalting, given how much salt the pecorino already contributes.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- A good source of protein and calcium from the eggs and cheese.
Cultural Note
Pallotte cacio e ova originated as a resourceful meat substitute in rural Abruzzo, particularly valued during Lent when meat was traditionally avoided.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop in the sauce.
Serve with: Crusty bread, A simple green salad