For as long as I can remember, my nonno made polpette. Whenever we went over to my grandparents’ house for dinner (an occurrence which took place at least every week), my sister and I would beg him and my nonna to make us le polpette e le patate al forno. He’d prepare the polpette from scratch every time, rigorously following the method he’d always adopted without a written recipe or ingredient list. 

He would bake the polpette before we arrived, welcoming us with the most exquisite perfume, and keep them warm in the oven until dinner time. Nonno Tino’s polpette were a take on Milan’s mondeghili, made with roast meat, potatoes, herbs and Parmigiano—vital in adding an extra kick of flavor–and eating them gave me pure joy: each bite was both crispy and soft, brimming with flavor.