The great meatball debate that divided Italians and foodies

Raw, next question.

It’s been a bitter controversy that has vexed Italian-American cooks for generations: should you fry your meatballs or cook them in sauce?

Home cook and social media personality Antoinette Gangi, known to her legion of followers as “Antoinette’s Italian Kitchen,” made her way to viral fame with a method she’s sworn by for decades.

But even she didn’t know how divisive it would be to proclaim cooking raw pork, a centuries-old tradition with ardent and equally maligned defenders, as the best way in a now-viral video.

“I was at home in Vegas and it was 87 degrees and my son filmed me in my summer dress making raw meatballs in gravy,” she told The Post.

That video ricocheted around the Internet, teasing professional chefs and home cooks alike, and even gave her a catchphrase she has sewn onto her hat: “I don’t fry them, I don’t bake them, I throw them right into the sauce.”

Gangi, who was born in Paramus, New Jersey, and has been cooking since she was 10, said she is still reeling from the effects of her polarizing recipe, which she recreated on “The Drew Barrymore Show.” (For the record, Drew loved them, but surprise guest Tony Danza was less enthused, admitting he preferred fried.)

“It’s really unbelievable,” Gangi, who described herself as a “young 72-year-old,” marveled from her part-time Vegas home. “I think it’s because when you think of Italian food, you think of spaghetti and meatballs. And my meatballs have really opened doors for me.”

Before she started uploading cooking videos to Instagram and TikTok, Gangi worked as a successful real estate agent for 35 years, cooking for family, friends and charity work. Her delicious food turned Gangi into something of a local legend thanks to her old-world recipes and a Nonna charm.

“One night I got pulled over by a cop in River Vale,” she recalled of a memorable trip to the northern New Jersey community. “He said, ‘Get out of the car and put your hands up on the roof.’ I looked at him and said, ‘Officer, what did I do?’ He said, ‘My wife wants your meatball recipe.'”

Capitalizing on her growing fan following, her son Roger gifted her with four professionally filmed cooking segments featuring the rising chef sharing her long-time family recipes.

But it was her perfectly timed meatball recipe that put her in food shame.

Naturally, her viral method has sparked a food war in the comments section.

“This is an old school Italian thing, so many Karens here who are not old school Italian,” said Julia Siracusa from her Instagram account @the_real_haunted_housewife.

“I’m old-school Italian, and every old-school Italian in my family will never touch anything until we wash our hands of raw meat.[s],” replied @Tina_Posie. “I fry my meatballs first and they’re still tender and my sauce isn’t greasy. It’s all about the mix.”

Ball of Confusion

In her wake, Gangi sparked a long-running debate about her controversial meatball method, which is considered sacrilegious in some families.

“As a very typical Italian Italian, on Sunday mornings when I was growing up, you would come down and you would always smell meatballs frying on the stove, 100%,” said Michael Cacace, whose family runs the old Marine restaurant. Michael’s Park. Brooklyn.

“Rakeling them beforehand helps to remove all the fat and grease and gives it a nice crispy outer shell,” he said of his family method. However, Cacace admitted that the meatballs are baked for his restaurant due to the large volume needed on a daily basis.

“But I’ve never come across anyone who throws them raw,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t know what’s going on Jersey chefs.”

In the West Village, Arthur and Sons owner Joe Isidori also disapproved of the raw method, telling The Post in no uncertain terms, “Always fry your balls!”

Even actor Tony Danza, who tastefully tested Gang’s method live on air when he appeared as a surprise guest during her tour of The Drew Barrymore Show, came out firmly as Team Fry.

“I’m sorry, but I think they should be cooked before they go in,” said Danza. “That’s okay, a lot of people think so,” Gangi replied.

Fry again

“Growing up, my mom always fried them,” Staten Island internet personality Joe Scarlotta Sr., father of the popular Scarlotta Twins, told The Post. “I would come home from a late night and have a meatball sandwich before I went to bed. But over the years I’ve heard some people say, ‘Oh, just try it, throw it in the sauce.'”

It was Gangi’s viral video that renewed his interest. “I’ve recently retired and have a bit of time on my hands, so I said to myself it’s taking too long, I have to try them myself.

With that, Scarlotta Sr. tested the crude method in a clip that has racked up over 20 million views on his social platforms.

The decision? “To be honest, it didn’t make much of a difference. The taste is very similar; it comes out soft but just doesn’t have that crust. However, my favorite is still fried.”

Regardless of anyone’s opinion, Gangi is reveling in her raw influence.

“I get stopped all the time when I go out now,” she said of the fandom. “I got a private message today from a woman who said my recipes are a new joy in her life and it made me so excited.”

“I have another catchphrase: I want to change the world, one meatball at a time.”

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 90 minutes (partially covered) Boil

Serves: 8-10

Sauce ingredients

8 Italian pork sausages

2 28 oz cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes

1 can of tomato puree 28 oz

1 can tomato paste 6 oz

12 fresh basil leaves

1 cup dry red wine

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped

4 cloves of fresh garlic, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation of the sauce

Saute the sausage in a large pot with the EVOO, garlic, onion, tomato paste and salt/pepper to taste. Add all the above ingredients to the pot and then simmer the sauce for an hour in a covered pot.

Meat ingredients

2 kg of ground beef

1 cup seasoned Italian bread

1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup shredded Locatelli Romano cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1/4 cup onion powder

2 tablespoons of garlic powder

2 eggs

Meat preparation

In a large bowl – add 2 eggs, lightly beaten. Add all the above ingredients, mix gently and mix. Wet the palm of your hands with warm water using a small bowl. This process will keep the meatballs moist. Start rolling the meatballs. Roll each meatball into the same desired size. This should make about 25-30 meatballs. Place the meatballs in the sauce as they simmer and simmer for 1 hour in a partially covered pot.