Beef Ricotta Meatballs From Giada De Laurentiis
I’ve fiddled with this recipe for years, but when I was served meatballs made with a touch of ricotta on a trip to Florence, I realized that was what had been missing all along and now I never make them any other way. Fortunately, ricotta is something I always have in the fridge because I find even a smallish amount, like the half cup used here, adds a creamy, delicate texture to a lot of dishes. Letting the mixture chill overnight develops even deeper flavor. A word of warning: These are not the fist-size, bready meatballs you may have grown up on. I like meatballs to be soft and tender and small enough to eat in two or three bites, like the ones I grew up on. And don’t let any extra sauce go to waste, because it will be fortified with all that good, beefy flavor. Save it to serve with pasta or make a quick dinner of eggs poached in the flavorful sauce.
Photo by Ray Kachatorian
INGREDIENTS
Makes 4 to 5 servings
½ cup panko bread crumbs
3 tablespoons whole milk
1 extra-large egg
½ cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
⅔ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups Simple Tomato Sauce (recipe below)
1 (5-ounce) package baby arugula (about 6 cups)
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
METHOD
In a medium bowl, combine the panko, milk, egg, ricotta, and Parmigiano. Stir well to combine and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the bread crumbs to absorb the liquid. Add the beef and salt. Use your hands to combine the ingredients gently but thoroughly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture overnight.
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Form heaping tablespoons of the beef mixture into balls and arrange them on the sheet pan about 1 inch apart. Roast the meatballs until firm, about 20 minutes.
Transfer the meatballs to a Dutch oven or deep skillet and add the tomato sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring gently to coat the meatballs in the sauce, then cover the pan and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, make the salad: In a medium bowl, toss together the arugula, lemon juice, oil, and Parmigiano shavings. Divide the greens among four or five shallow bowls.
Top with the meatballs and serve.
Simple Tomato Sauce
INGREDIENTS
Makes 3 cups
1 (24-ounce) jar passata (tomato puree)
½ red onion
1 to 3 garlic cloves, to taste
5 stalks fresh basil
2-inch piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, to taste
METHOD
Pour the passata into a medium saucepan. Rinse the jar out with ¼ cup water and add to the pan along with the onion, garlic, basil, and Parm rind. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Discard the solids. Add the salt, then stir in the butter until melted. Store in a jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator and use within 5 days. Freeze extras for up to 3 months.
From Super-Italian by Giada De Laurentiis. Reprinted by permission of Rodale Books.
