The dish my friend Charlotte and I prepared for the food fair were Italian Polpettes, more conventionally known as meatballs.

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In traditional Italian cuisine, polpettes are smaller than normal meatballs, and usually eaten as the main course of a meal. Although meatballs are a staple food of Italian restaurants in Australia, they are considered more of a peasant food in Italy, served primarily in the home. Charlotte’s Italian heritage played a role in choosing this dish, as she has fond memories of her mother teaching her how to prepare the meatballs.

Preparing the dish was an interesting experience, as neither Charlotte nor I are the greatest of chefs, however it was an enjoyable time. Cooking together and preparing such a simple dish reflected our learnings about Dr. Thebussem advocating a rustic peasant stew as Spain’s national dish. Just as that simple dish brought an entire nation together, Charlotte and I’s dish and our experience cooking it, brought us a sense of togetherness and pride. Over the years the traditional Italian polpettes have been modernized and westernized to be served almost exclusively with spaghetti and sauce, however for the food fair we decided to remain true to the heritage of the food, and serve the meatballs on their own.

We presented them simply in a big bowl, reflecting the relaxed and sharing style of Italian eating. Despite being not the most appealing or extravagant dish presented at the food fair, they were well-received, exhibited by our nearly empty bowl to take home at the fair’s conclusion. The simplicity and ease of consumption of our dish appealed to our peers, as well as their sense of familiarity due to meatballs now being a very well-known dish across the world.

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