This dish is my wife modification of a recipe from my mother. The first time she made these big polpette (meatballs) I just could not help, but fall for them.

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons of bread crumb
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 onion
• red wine
• rosemary

Preparation
Finely cut the garlic and the onion, mix with the ground beef and the soy sauce a mixing bowl. Add the egg and the bread crumb, and continue mixing. From the mixture make 4 patties, place them in a small casserole, sprinkle with the wine, and cover with some rosemary leaves. Roast in oven at 300 F for about 30 minutes.

Polpettone di tonno
The polpettone di tonno (tunafish loaf) is a simple and delicate dish. This is one of my mother's original recipes and a favorite of mine. Once cooked it can be refrigerated for 1-2 days and then reheated with the microwave.

Serves: 4
Source: Mamma Ada (Marco's mom)

Ingredients

• 3 6oz (127g) can of tuna in olive oil
• 3 eggs
• 5 tablespoons of grated parmesan
• 4 tablespoons of bread crumbs
• salt

Preparation
Pour the tuna with its oil in a mixing bowl and break it in fine fragments. Add the eggs, a pinch of salt and mix. Then add the grated parmesan and the bread crumbs and continue mixing. If necessary add some more crumbs and parmesan until all the liquid has been absorbed. The final mixture should be soft but moldable in the shape of a loaf or bun. Oil 2 ft of aluminum foil to prevent the loaf to stick to it, place the loaf in its middle, and loose-wrap leaving a vent slot on the top. Place the wrapped loaf above 2 inches of water in a pressure cooker and cook on medium for 20 minutes. Alternatively, steam cook for 40 minutes. Remove from heat, let stay for 10 minutes, unwrap carefully separating the loaf from the foil. Place on a serving dish and slice. Great served with mayonnaise and boiled potatoes.

In the dialect of Padova, my hometown, the "pecosso" is the chicken drumstick (in Italian "coscia di pollo"). My friend Daniele is the originator if this recipe that therefore I named it in his honor.

• 4 chicken drumsticks
• 1/2 glass white wine
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• thyme

Preparation
Oil the casserole. Salt the drumsticks, sprinkle them with pepper, and roll them in the casserole oil (add oil if necessary). Put 1/2 inch of water in the casserole, add the wine and put some thyme leaves over the drumsticks. Cover the casserole with aluminum foil pierced to leave some vent holes on top. Put in 350 F pre-heaten oven. After 1/2 hour, remove the aluminum, lower the temperature to 250 F and continue cooking until drumsticks are golden-brown.