Name: Pallotte cacio e ova
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 75 g Stale white bread (Soft inner crumb only, without crust; not dry breadcrumbs.); 200 g Pecorino di Farindola (Medium-aged and finely grated.); 130 g Eggs (Beaten and weighed without shells.); 10 g Flat-leaf parsley (Cleaned leaves, finely chopped.); 1,000 ml Sunflower or peanut oil (For frying, not all absorbed.); 300 g Tomato passata; 20 ml Extra-virgin olive oil; 1 piece Garlic (Peeled and lightly crushed.); 3 g Fresh basil; 50 ml Water (Use only as needed to loosen the sauce.); Salt (To taste; the cheese is already salty.); Black pepper (To taste.)

Grate the cheese finely and divide the mixture into small, even balls. Their brief fry sets the surface; the final simmer lets the tomato sauce cling to them.

Make ahead Grate the cheese and crumble the bread ahead. Shape and fry the pallotte close to cooking them in the sauce, then serve hot.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 50 min
Serves: 5
Difficulty: Medium

Pallotte cacio e ova

Prep 20 min · Cook 50 min · Serves 5 · Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Skip to the method

5 servings

75 g2¾ oz
Stale white breadSoft inner crumb only, without crust; not dry breadcrumbs.Soft inner crumb only, without crust; not dry breadcrumbs.
200 g7 oz
Pecorino di FarindolaMedium-aged and finely grated.Medium-aged and finely grated.
130 g4½ oz
EggsBeaten and weighed without shells.Beaten and weighed without shells.
10 g¼ oz
Flat-leaf parsleyCleaned leaves, finely chopped.Cleaned leaves, finely chopped.
1,000 ml4¼ cups
Sunflower or peanut oilFor frying, not all absorbed.For frying, not all absorbed.
300 g10½ oz
Tomato passata
20 ml1¼ tbsp
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 piece1 piece
GarlicPeeled and lightly crushed.Peeled and lightly crushed.
3 g3 g
Fresh basil
50 ml3½ tbsp
WaterUse only as needed to loosen the sauce.Use only as needed to loosen the sauce.
SaltTo taste; the cheese is already salty.To taste; the cheese is already salty.
Black pepperTo taste.To taste.

Method

Warm the olive oil and crushed garlic in the sauté pan over low heat for about 2 minutes. Add the passata and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little of the measured water if the sauce becomes too thick.Warm the olive oil and crushed garlic in the sauté pan over low heat for about 2 minutes. Add the passata and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little of the measured water if the sauce becomes too thick.
Meanwhile, break the crustless stale bread into pieces and pulse in the food processor to make fine, soft crumbs. Put 75 g of these crumbs in the bowl with the grated pecorino, 130 g of beaten egg and the parsley. Season with pepper and only a little salt if needed.Meanwhile, break the crustless stale bread into pieces and pulse in the food processor to make fine, soft crumbs. Put 2¾ oz of these crumbs in the bowl with the grated pecorino, 4½ oz of beaten egg and the parsley. Season with pepper and only a little salt if needed.
Mix firmly until evenly combined and cohesive. Divide into 15 equal portions and roll them into smooth balls.Mix firmly until evenly combined and cohesive. Divide into 15 equal portions and roll them into smooth balls.
Heat the sunflower oil in the deep pot to 160–170°C, keeping the pot no more than half full. Fry five pallotte at a time for about 2–3 minutes, turning gently, until evenly golden. Drain on paper towels and return the oil to temperature between batches.Heat the sunflower oil in the deep pot to 320–340°F, keeping the pot no more than half full. Fry five pallotte at a time for about 2–3 minutes, turning gently, until evenly golden. Drain on paper towels and return the oil to temperature between batches.
Put the fried pallotte in the gently bubbling sauce in a single layer. Cook over low heat for another 10 minutes, turning carefully so they are coated without breaking. Add the remaining measured water only if needed.Put the fried pallotte in the gently bubbling sauce in a single layer. Cook over low heat for another 10 minutes, turning carefully so they are coated without breaking. Add the remaining measured water only if needed.
Remove the garlic and scatter over the basil leaves. Divide among five plates and serve hot with the sauce.Remove the garlic and scatter over the basil leaves. Divide among five plates and serve hot with the sauce.