Meatballs on the menu for Italian earthquake relief

Mama mia! Hungry New Yorkers raising money for victims of the Italian earthquake plan to break the Guinness Book World Record by throwing back more than 29 meatballs in one minute.

No word on whether the meatballs will be “on top of spaghetti all covered in cheese” as the song goes, but on Tuesday, New York State Assemblyman Chad Luppinacci of the Italian American Legislature Conference and Joseph V. Scelsa from the Italian American Museum announced the NYC Meatball Eating Contest.

The contest will be held on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at Nino’s Restaurant, 1354 First Avenue in Manhattan.

According to the assemblyman’s office, New York has the largest Italian American population with over 2.7 million residents – many of which have family in Italy that were affected by the recent earthquake. The earthquake in central Italy killed more than 300 people.

Dozens of local restaurants across New York City are working with the Italian American Museum of Mulberry St. to collect funds for the victims. Proceeds from every meatball sold at Nino’s Restaurant will go to the Earthquake Relief Fund.

If 29 meatballs aren’t enough, this week New Yorkers and visitors can enjoy the Feast of San Gennaro in New York’s Little Italy Sept. 15-25.