Italian Cocktail Meatballs with Herbs and Ricotta

From Food Network Kitchens

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (12)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(12)

Cook Time:
45 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
about 50 meatballs

Times:

Prep: 50 min
Inactive Prep: 1 hr 0 min
Cook: 45 min
Total:: 2 hr 35 min

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Ingredients

3/4 pound ground pork
3/4 pound ground turkey
4 ounces (1/2 cup) whole milk ricotta
1/3 cup minced flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 medium onion, grated (about 1/2 cup)
3 tablespoons finely grated pecorino
1 slice bacon, finely minced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or lemon thyme
1 large egg, beaten
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce (about 1/2 teaspoon)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 to 3 cups homemade or quality jarred marinara sauce
Small fresh basil leaves

Directions

Mix the ground meats, ricotta, parsley, panko crumbs, onion, pecorino, bacon, garlic, milk, thyme, egg, salt, Worcestershire, and black pepper, to taste, in a large bowl. Mix until just combined; don't overmix. The mixture will be pretty soft.

Using your hands, gently form mixture into 1 tablespoon small meatballs (about the size of ping pong balls). Put them on a large plate or pan; cover and refrigerate at least an hour or up to 24 hours.

Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1/3 the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and repeat with the remaining meatballs.

Drain off the oil and wipe out the skillet. Return the meatballs to the skillet and pour in the marinara sauce. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Serve the meatballs, skewered on a platter with a dollop of the sauce and a fresh leaf of basil. They can be serve warm or at room temperature.

The meatballs can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for 3 days, or frozen for up to 6 weeks.

Meatball wisdom:

- Be gentle when you're forming meatballs--too firm a hand makes them dense and tough.

- These can be frozen cooked (in sauce) or raw; freeze raw meatballs on a cookie sheet, then transfer them to resealable plastic bags. Cooked-in-sauce meatballs can go into plastic containers.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Italian Cocktail Meatballs with Herbs and Ricotta
Aurora charlotte, NC 10-18-2009
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Big hit
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made these meatballs for a party and every loved them. I ended up serving them in a large bowl with toothpicks on the... side, so I didn't use the basil. I will serve them this way next time, but will add the basil before cooking. If you prepare them the night before, they only take a few minutes to cook the next day. Read more
recipe Italian Cocktail Meatballs with Herbs and Ricotta
Maria Kailua-Kona, HI 10-10-2009
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Best meatballs ever!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I am not a meatball lover, my husband is.... Had hamburger meat to cook dinner with and I gave it a try..... they were... delicious!! So tasty. Great flavor, must be the fresh parsley and the fresh basil as the garnish (don't leave that out!). I fried them in 1/3 of a cup of the extra virgin olive oil instead of a cup and it worked out great. Great recipe! A+Read more
recipe Italian Cocktail Meatballs with Herbs and Ricotta
null null, null 08-01-2009
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Big hit for every meat lovers..
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

the meatballs looks very delicious,can't wait to try it soon ps. can i ask where i can get those serving plates you used... to serve to serve the meatballs? thanksRead more
recipe Italian Cocktail Meatballs with Herbs and Ricotta
Courtney Newport News, VA 06-21-2009
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Soo Tasty!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I took these to a party and they were a Hit !! They make such a pretty display, especially with the basil :-) I used Heinz... chili sauce instead of Marinara and it added a little zip to the dish...so delicious!! I will definitely make these again!!Read more
recipe Italian Cocktail Meatballs with Herbs and Ricotta
Mary Chicago Ridge, IL 06-02-2009
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Moist, No Beef, Delectable and Great Presentation!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Followed exactly accept for cooking procedure. I oiled a walled cookie sheet with extra virgin olive oil and baked them in a... 350 degree oven until barely browned on the outisde, (2 poinra - I wanted less mess and calories, plus I I wanted top make sure the balls stayed moist inside). After, I placed them on a serving dish, spooned over with the marinara, fresh cut basil and finished with an inserted toothpick! Loved them and I will make again and again!!! They will not disappoint.Read more
recipe Italian Cocktail Meatballs with Herbs and Ricotta
Anjulika New York, NY 02-17-2009
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A hit!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this for my friends a few weeks ago and it was a hit. I love lamb so I actually substituted lamb in for the turkey and... it made even more flavorful. Another thing, extra cilantro neverrrrr hurts and a dash of steak/meat seasoning always adds some extra kick!Read more