Learn to prepare Mondeghili di brasato, a flavorful Milanese dish made with braised beef.

Mondeghili di Brasato

Mondeghili di brasato are a rich and flavorful reinterpretation of traditional Milanese meatballs, a recipe born from the tradition of using leftovers and enhancing high-quality ingredients. Created by Giuseppe Zen of Macelleria Popolare, a Milanese establishment that combines butchery and cuisine to highlight organic meats selected from small farms, these meatballs are a true delight.

Unlike boiled mondeghili, this version uses wine-free braised beef cheeks, a tender and succulent cut that retains its natural moisture even after a second cooking. The meatballs are crafted with a skillful blend of braised beef and cooking juices, enriched with braised vegetables and aromas, and combined with toasted rye bread for an intense and distinctive flavor.

Once shaped into the typical slightly flattened form, the mondeghili are coated in egg whites and coarse breadcrumbs, then fried until achieving a golden, crispy crust that encloses a soft and appetizing center. In these meatballs, Milanese tradition meets the authentic flavor of quality ingredients: a rustic yet flavorful dish, perfect to serve hot as an appetizer or main course.

Explore More Milanese Dishes

• Costoletta alla Milanese
• Trippa alla Milanese
• Risotto alla Milanese
• Cassoeula
• Ossobuco alla Milanese

Ingredients

• 500g braised beef cheeks
• 100g cooking juices
• 50g braised vegetables
• 100g toasted rye bread
• 2 egg whites
• Breadcrumbs
• Salt and pepper
• Oil for frying

Instructions

1. Shred the braised beef cheeks and mix with cooking juices, braised vegetables, and crumbled toasted rye bread.
2. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Shape the mixture into slightly flattened meatballs.
4. Dip each meatball in egg whites and coat with breadcrumbs.
5. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the meatballs until golden and crispy.
6. Serve hot as an appetizer or main course.

Total Time: 60 min

Cuisine: Italian