2016 National Meatball Day with Dina Deleasa

As the month of March approaches we get excited for the impending spring season. We are hopeful that warmer weather is rounding the corner. March is also pretty synonymous with St. Patrick’s day and all things green. What I am most excited for is coming up on March 9th, national Meatball Day. If it is not on your calendar it should be! Meatballs are as versatile as they are comforting. I spent some time at Times Square Restaurant, Buca di Beppo learning how to make their famous Buca style meatballs in honor of this special occasion.

For some hard core foodies, a Times Square restaurant may not be the first place you choose to look for an amazing meatball. The meatballs at Buca di Beppo are not just your average Sunday dinner balls of meat. They are a half pound in weight and they are serious about it. Behind the scenes each meatball is carefully weighed to make sure it is the perfect 8 oz. size before it hits the oven. In addition to the ground beef Buca di Beppo’s famous recipe uses poached garlic, breadcrumbs, eggs, and parmesan cheese. In my house we usually fry the meatballs with cloves of garlic. The addition of the poached garlic directly into the meatball  I think makes a big difference in taste. In my opinion, this may be what makes Buca’s meatballs so delicious. Or perhaps its that they are then baked in Buca’s homemade marinara sauce, which I learned they make fresh everyday. Being in the kitchen at Buca I observed fresh ingredients being prepped and family style food being made to order.

One thing is for certain they take Buca style very seriously. Buca di Beppo brings the family dinner table feel to the hustle and bustle of Times Square. If you are looking for a place to celebrate on March 9th challenge yourself to the half pound Buca meatball. I promise you won’t leave hungry!

To get your meatball on visit Buca di Beppo here: http://www.bucadibeppo.com/