Tweak your Italian mother's meatball recipe? Fuhgeddaboudit.

Wait - unless she doesn't know about it and you can save a few calories....

Brilliant.

Chef Isabella Morgia di Vicari and her husband Jeffy recently opened The Meatball Shoppe, 7325 Lake Underhill Rd., on Orlando's east side. Isabella is set to prove that Nonna's Traditional Meatball is the best 'ball you'll consume anywhere, especially since her "revision."

"But don't tell her I said that," Isabella warned me, though lovingly. "You got it?!"

The tweak is to bake the meatballs instead of frying them. The prep process is fairly simple: put all the ingredients except the meat into a food processor. Once mixed, add to two kinds of meat that are waiting patiently in another bowl. Give it a nice massage. Use an ice cream scoop to plop the meatballs into a pan, smother with marinara and bake!

But Chef Isabella has a few rules.

"No garlic powder in my meatballs, baby!" (So, cloves only).

And - spaghetti is so old school. In fact, nix the pasta!

"This is the Southern Italia meets Northern Italia in the plate," she showed us, "because this is our traditional meatball over a creamy polenta."

Those Italian "grits," she said, gives the meatball a makeover.

Let's cook!

Nonna’s Traditional Meatballs

1 pound ground beef, ground twice (it makes a difference)
1 pound ground pork
½ cup plain dried bread crumbs
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cloves of minced garlic
1¼ cup of milk
1 cup grated Romano cheese
½ bunch cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
½ bunch of fresh basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne to taste

Chef Isabella’s Marinara Sauce – recipe below

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl or food processor and mix all the ingredients EXCEPT the meat.

Add mixture to meat and gently combine, being careful not to overwork the meat. Use an ice cream scoop or your hands to shape the meatballs.

In a shallow baking pan, pour Chef Isabella’s Marinara Sauce on bottom to cover well. Add the rolled meatballs to the pan and top meatballs with more sauce.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Serve alone, over pasta, in sub roll!

Buon Apettito!

Chef Isabella’s Marinara Sauce

¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
10 large cloves of garlic sliced or chopped
3 (28 oz.) cans whole, peeled tomatoes roughly chopped or pureed
1 small bunch of fresh basil
4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup Pinot Grigio or any dry white wine of your choice

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the garlic, stirring until lightly golden.

2. Add the tomatoes, basil, wine, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for approx 45 to 60 minutes or until thickened.

Makes about 8 cups. Store covered in the refrigerator for five days or in the freezer up to two months.