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Italian Meatballs
Meatballs are so tasty and the more you make them the better you get!
This is the way my grandma made them but I use ricotta instead of bread crumb to keep the meat tender and juicy.
Your entire family will go crazy over these. Meatballs are a fast light weeknight supper to serve with a wooden bowl of salad - or make spaghetti for your family!
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef or beef & pork 'meatloaf mix'
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup ricotta
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Locatelli cheese
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced then mashed
- 1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley - don't skip this, fresh parsley is the key to flavor and color
- Olive oil
Instructions
Blend the ground meat with the egg, ricotta, cheese, salt, pepper, garlic and parsley in a large bowl until well blended. Roll the mixture into 8 portions, about 1/3 cup each. I use a metal ice cream scoop to portion my meatballs.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium nonstick skillet - arrange the meatballs in the pan, brown on side down, and carefully turn, browning on each side, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove to a shallow dish. They will not be cooked all the way through, but will finish in the sauce. Set aside to add to sauce.
Prepare a pot of Quick Tomato Basil Sauce, adding the meatballs plus all the juices from the dish. Lower heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
Serve on a plate with a scoop of ricotta if desired and a lightly dressed green salad.
