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Veal Meatballs

Source of Recipe

From "Go-To Dinners: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook" by Ina Garten


Recipe Introduction

"Meatballs are a really great component for a satisfying dinner; they can be served on their own, on a puddle of Parmesan polenta, with cooked pasta, or in a hero sandwich. The two things that make these special are first, roasting them, and second, using really good Parmesan and Pecorino."

List of Ingredients

◦ � cup good olive oil, divided
◦ 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
◦ 1 pound ground veal (see note)
◦ 1 pound ground pork (see note)
◦ � pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and meat crumbled
◦ 1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs, such as Progresso
◦ � cup grated Italian Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)
◦ � cup grated Italian Pecorino cheese (1 ounce)
◦ � cup minced fresh parsley
◦ 1 teaspoon ground fennel
◦ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
◦ 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
◦ � cup whole milk
◦ � cup fresh whole-milk ricotta
◦ 2 (32-ounce) jars good marinara sauce, such as Rao's


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 425� F. Arrange two racks evenly spaced in the oven. Heat � cup of olive oil in a small (8-inch) saut� pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and saut� for 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned. Set aside.

Place the veal, pork, and sausage in a large mixing bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, Pecorino, parsley, fennel, 1 � tablespoons salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper and blend lightly with a fork. Add the eggs, milk, ricotta, and the garlic-and-oil mixture and combine lightly but thoroughly.

Measure 2 � to 3-ounce portions of the mixture (I use a level 2 �-inch ice cream scoop) and with damp hands roll each portion lightly into a ball. Place the meatballs one inch apart on two sheet pans. Brush generously with the remaining � cup olive oil. Roast the meatballs for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned. Pour the marinara sauce into a large pot and bring to a simmer. Gently add the meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Serves 6 to 8






❧ Note:
Finely ground meat makes moister meatballs. If the veal and pork are coarsely ground, put them in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse a few times until finely ground.

Prep the meatballs a day ahead and roast them before serving or prepare them completely and freeze them in the sauce.