I made the Neapolitan Meatballs, but my panko "paste" was so thick that it was more like a mostly solid, rubbery playdough. That didn't seem right. To thin it out, I wound up adding over two times the amount of water, which I overdid and everything turned out soggy. Still tasted good, but they didn't keep their shape and were too soft.
Am I using too much panko? I wasn't sure how much variance panko would have between brands. I am using Wegman's if that matters. Otherwise, is there something commonplace that resembles the consistency of the panko paste I should strive for?
The thing is, this Neapolitan meatball has been so hyped up as this abnormally large, overly breadcrumbed, still meaty, but totally not your average fare food that I don't really have anything to gauge by as I go.
Thanks for any help!
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COMMENTS
Wayne C.
January 23, 2020
FWIW, I used 4C brand Panko Plain breadcrumbs and followed the recipe exactly. I can't think of anything with similar consistency to the moistened breadcrumbs, but from your description, it sounds as though you only needed to add a bit more water. Mine wasn't "solid and rubbery" but was also definitely not "soggy" at all.
They came out absolutely fantastic. Best meatballs I have ever had, and one of the top 5 recipes I've ever made.
Brice S.
January 25, 2020
Thanks Diane. It looks like I might just try again with only 2 cups panko or try with 4-C depending what I have on hand.
Thanks for following up.
Larkin M.
January 31, 2020
I had the same issue as Brice S. had. My panko and water was a pasty play-doh consistency. I ended up adding just a bit more water and then really made sure that the panko mixture and the meat mixture combine completely. I was unsure how it would taste, but they were great. I appreciate the comments above by Diane. Thank you!
Louis D.
March 31, 2020
We have made this twice,my question is weather we over mixed the meat balls by hand. The first batch before and after baking were light in color. The second batch were darker, probably under mixed, both batches were very good, the first were softer and held together better, very smooth texture. I would have liked to see a picture before the bake or after to determine if I over mixed the meat balls before I put them in the sauce.
Lynn ClarkMilk Street Staff
April 1, 2020
Hi Louis - Attached are a couple of photos. The first is how the meatball mixture should look before forming, the second is of the meatballs after they are formed into a ball. Hopefully this helps! Let me know if you have trouble viewing these. Best, Lynn C.
Eileen A.
April 8, 2020
I made these meatballs using oatmeal (quick oats) instead of using Panko bread crumbs. Just weighed out the same amount and mixed it up. The meatballs were delicious. Cooling them in the fridge for 20 minutes was a great idea. Instead of using the tomatoe sauce, I made an Alfredo sauce. Really like this meatball recipe. Thanks!
Carol S.
January 5, 2021
Diane, above you said 5 ⅛ ounces panko, yet the recipe and the article "6 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Meatballs" both say 6 1/2 ounces for the 2.5 cups of 4C. Which weight is correct? Thanks.
Lynn ClarkMilk Street Staff
January 5, 2021
Hi Carol -
Sorry for the confusion. This Q&A thread should have been updated to reflect the revised weight of 6 1/2 ounces. The volume measurement (2 1/2 cups) remains the same. After some feedback from readers, we went back and revisited our weights to see if we could come up with an average that would work for most brands of breadcrumbs. That is the weight reflected in the recipe and the article you cited. Again, I'm sorry for the confusion here. The recipe and article are, in fact, correct! Thanks for reminding us to update that here as well. Best, Lynn C.
Carol S.
January 7, 2021
No problem and glad I could help others from possibly being confused. I actually use 4C but I haven't gotten around to weighing out volumetric measures. I've been making Neapolitan meatballs since 2015 after coming across an article. I'm looking forward to trying this version since I almost always have panko on hand unlike a loaf of bread. I'm making them today because I needed another option due to our grocery store being out of the chicken I wanted and can't get back to the store until Thursday.
