Ricette di Sicilia
Cibo, cultura e tradizioni siciliane
Sweet and Sour Sicilian Meatballs - A Homely Classic with a Sun-kissed Twist
Tender Sicilian meatballs simmered in a glossy sweet-and-sour tomato sauce, infused with almonds, cinnamon and the warmth of the Mediterranean.
🛒 Ingredients
▸ For the meatballs
- ✓ 400 g mixed minced meat (beef and pork)
- ✓ a small bunch of fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ✓ 1 egg
- ✓ 2 stale bread rolls
- ✓ breadcrumbs
- ✓ 4 tablespoons grated Sicilian pecorino
- ✓ milk, for softening the bread
- ✓ Trapani sea salt
- ✓ freshly ground black pepper
▸ For the sweet and sour sauce
- ✓ 350 ml tomato sauce
- ✓ 1 tablespoon tomato purée
- ✓ 1 Giarratana red onion, finely chopped
- ✓ 1 garlic clove
- ✓ 2 tablespoons sugar
- ✓ half a glass of white wine vinegar
- ✓ extra virgin olive oil
- ✓ Trapani sea salt
- ✓ freshly ground black pepper
- ✓ a pinch of ground cinnamon
- ✓ chopped peeled almonds for finishing
If you’ve ever wandered through a Sicilian kitchen at dusk, you’ll know that certain dishes have a way of filling the room with both aroma and memory. These sweet and sour meatballs - polpette in agrodolce - are exactly that kind of dish. They’re tender, comforting, and bathed in a glossy tomato sauce lifted by vinegar, sugar and just a whisper of cinnamon.
This is classic home cooking from eastern Sicily, particularly around Catania, where simplicity and warmth rule the table. Whether you serve them slightly warm or at room temperature, the flavours continue to mellow and deepen as they sit - so they’re even lovelier the next day.
A perfect dish for autumn evenings or leisurely Sunday lunches, these meatballs bring a little Mediterranean sunshine straight into a British kitchen.
👨🍳 Preparation
- 1
Soak the stale bread in milk until soft, then squeeze out the excess and discard the crust.
- 2
In a large bowl combine the minced meat, egg, pecorino, softened bread, chopped parsley, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- 3
Mix until smooth, adding a little breadcrumbs if the mixture feels too wet.
- 4
Shape into walnut-sized meatballs and set aside.
- 5
Warm a little olive oil in a frying pan and brown the meatballs in batches until golden all over.
- 6
Transfer the meatballs to a plate. In the same pan sauté the onion and garlic until lightly golden.
- 7
Pour in the tomato sauce and stir through the tomato purée dissolved in a splash of water.
- 8
Season to taste and simmer for about 5 minutes.
- 9
Add the meatballs back to the pan and cook for a further 10 minutes.
- 10
Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar, increase the heat slightly and pour it into the pan, letting the sharpness evaporate.
- 11
Turn off the heat and stir in a pinch of cinnamon.
- 12
Leave the dish to rest for several hours - ideally overnight - so the flavours can settle and deepen.
- 13
Before serving, scatter with chopped almonds.
💡 Tips and Variations
For a warmer, spiced note, add a tiny pinch of ground cloves to the sauce. If you enjoy a richer flavour, you can fold a spoonful of soaked raisins into the meat mixture - a nod to the island’s Arab-Sicilian heritage and a lovely contrast to the tangy sauce.
📦 Storage
- • Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- • You can freeze the meatballs already cooked in their sauce.
- • Before serving, allow them to come to room temperature or gently reheat.
🍷 Pairing
These meatballs pair beautifully with a glass of Cerasuolo di Vittoria - an elegant Sicilian red whose soft fruit and gentle structure complement the sweet and sour sauce wonderfully.
Thank you for trying these sweet and sour Sicilian meatballs. They’re a dish that rewards patience and brings comfort in every bite - even more so the following day. Enjoy them slowly and let a little Mediterranean warmth brighten your table.
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