Anthony’s Restaurant and Lounge has been serving up award-winning Italian fare for over 40 years. Famous for their old-school Italian dishes—some of the recipes they use were handed down by Anthony’s grandmother—and they’re still prepared to her tried-and-true specifications to this day.
In honor of National Meatball Day, we figured there was no better place in the metro to get a legit meatball recipe than Anthony’s. Turns out, we chose wisely! “This was my great-grandmother’s recipe, who used to cook in the kitchen in the early years of the restaurant,” says Anthony’s owner Vito Spino. “Like everything else in our kitchen, the meatballs are made with love. Back when my great-grandmother was in the kitchen, my pregnant mother was waiting tables, my 20-something-year-old father was cooking, waiting, bartending, and doing whatever else needed to be done, and my grandfather was outside in the parking lot valeting cars. Are our meatballs great? Absolutely! They are fantastic, but the real story behind our meatballs and this restaurant is my absolutely amazing family who put their blood, sweat, tears, and hearts into this place.”
Anthony’s Meatballs
(makes a Mamma Mia-size portion for the whole family)
10 pounds ground beef
4 cups breadcrumbs
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup black pepper
10 cups grated parmesan cheese
2 cups garlic
25 eggs
3 cups water
Directions:
Mix well, roll into balls—the size of your liking. Deep fry in pan or bake in over at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Flip meatballs and bake for another 20-25 minutes or more, depending on the size. Enjoy!