Beef Croquettes (Roman Polpette di Bollito)

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, these fried croquettes made with braised beef make great party appetizers.

1 lb beef shin, trimmed
sea salt
1 cup dry white wine
10 whole black peppercorns
3 carrots, peeled and halved
2 medium yellow onions, quartered
2 whole cloves
1 large potato
3½ oz mortadella, thinly sliced
1⁄3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
2 Tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 cup fine breadcrumbs
vegetable oil, for frying

Salt the beef, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it overnight.

The next day, in a medium saucepan, cover the beef with 6 cups water. Add the wine, the peppercorns, carrots, onions, and cloves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the beef is tender, 1½-2 hours. Transfer the meat to a plate and shred it with tongs or two forks and transfer it to a food processor. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and discard the solids.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, boil the potato until tender, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and, when cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 1" pieces. Add the potato and mortadella along with 1-2 Tbsp. of the reserved broth to the food processor and pulse until it forms a paste. Transfer to a medium bowl along with the Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, and half of the eggs. Season with salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Remove the beef from the refrigerator and form into 16 patties, about 2½" wide and ½" thick. Heat 2" vegetable oil in a 6 qt saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°F (175°C). Place flour, remaining eggs, and bread crumbs in separate shallow dishes. Working with 1 patty at a time, dredge in flour, dip in eggs, and coat in bread crumbs. Working in batches, fry patties until golden and crisp, 3-4 minutes. Transfer patties to paper towels to drain and serve hot.

Makes 16 servings.