Juicy Balls aka Spinach Pesto Meatballs

Sorry I couldn't help it, these really are juicy, flavorful meatballs!  I add the spinach and pesto not only for their great added flavor, but for the moisture that they preserve on the inside of the balls.  Too many times meatballs are too dense and filled with too much bread crumb which extracts the moisture.  My grandmother never used breadcrumbs, opting to just rip up a piece of white bread soaked in milk.  I wanted a meatball that could stand alone, without the help of sauce.  When I make homemade sauce, I place some of the meatballs that are about 3/4 way cooked in the sauce to render all those great herb flavors with the tomatoes.  It also helps keep the taste fresh when you freeze the meatballs and reheat them.  Another great addition are portobello mushrooms. Same moisture concept as the spinach.  I sometimes do a mix of the two.  I have a packet of dried wild mushrooms that I would like to experiment with, pairing them with kale or raddichio, instead of spinach.  Couture ball are a rising trend!

Juicy Balls aka Spinach Pesto Meatballs
Makes at least 32 meatballs

2 lbs ground beef, pork, veal mix
1 egg, lighten beaten
1 inch slice of day old Italian bread torn in small pieces
½ cup Parmesan cheese
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh, raw spinach, roughly chopped in small pieces*
* an option is to finely chop portobello mushrooms and the spinach
3-4 cloves of garlic minced
2 -3 T of basil pesto (homemade or jarred)
¼ cup finely diced onion
2 t kosher salt
1 t fresh cracked pepper
2 cups panko bread crumbs (optional)

1.  Line a baking tray (or two) with wax or parchment paper, set aside.
Place meat in a large mixing bowl, break it up a little with a spatula.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly. 
Using an ice cream scooper, form mixture into 2 inch diameter meatballs.  Make sure to loosely pack  them just enough to stay together. 
2. If you are going to roll your meatballs in the panko crumbs, place some panko on a baking sheet and as you form the balls, roll them lightly in the crumbs.  Place on baking sheet.
(At this point if you were going to freeze some of the batch, place the sheet into the freezer for about 30 minutes, remove and place balls, wrapped in wax paper into a freezer safe storage bag.)
3.  Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil; heat over medium-low heat.  Place a batch of meatballs into the skillet, making sure not to over crowd them.  Fry the meatballs until brown and cooked through, turning frequently.  If needed, add more olive oil or a little water.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the balls to a plate.