The Perfect Meatball

Everyone loves a good meatball. It is the yin to spaghettii's yang,It is the back bone of a good hot sub. Yet there's one problem. It get s soggy and fall apart - usually in the middle of eating. Nothing is worse than mushy meat. However there is help - and the promise of a crispy orb of meaty goodness.

Alison Roman rethought this classic recipe in yesterday's New York Times Food section. She is not a fan of mushy meatballs nor is she an admirer of tomato sauce or the one that graces the Swedish kind. She gives us lightly spiced and pan fried - the last all the better for a nice , crispy exterior. There is also the absence of binders - such as the usual bread crumbs,egg or dairy. She classifies them as round sausages made with not beef or pork but with lamb. It's more of a Lebanese vibe, kind of like kibbe.What does she serve with it with? Eggplant and chickpeas. There is a yogurt sauce with it , again there's that feel of a Middle Eastern vibe.The meat balls are cooked first and then the eggplant. Since the last is more or less like a sponge, fry the eggplant slices in the leftover oil which will now be mixed with the lamb fat. This will definitely give them more flavor. The chickpeas are cooked last. It may seem labor intensive , taking forty-five minutes from start to finish -but definitely worth it.

Ms. Roman says lamb is the best for this but you can also use pork or beef. You could do a mix of all three for a more flavorful meatball. Fennel seeds are also added. This would give it a sausage flavor however there is a zing of red pepper flakes added.The meat is rolled into one to one and a half inch balls.They're sauteed in olive oil  and rolled around the skillet to completely brown them.After this transfer them to a plate, leaving the fat and any browned bits behind. This will flavor the eggplant. The recipe calls for one medium eggplant sliced into 1/4 inch slices. More olive oil, about four tablespoons are added and the slices are browned on both sides. Each side will take six to eight minutes for that perfect , crisp crust. These are then transferred to the plate holding the meatballs. The chickpeas are cooked separately. They won't crisp up as the others but Ms. Roman assures that they will have a nice edge to them. This only takes three to five minutes. Before plating , smear seasoned yogurt on the bottom of a large serving plate or platter. Put the meatballs, eggplant and chickpeas on top. You could add a sprig of mint or parsley if you want.

This is the meatball recipe you want if you like to have crisp. It's an easy cook, and made even better with crisp eggplant and chickpeas. Try it and get away from those soft mush ones.