Recipe courtesy of Fritz Cassel
Chicken Meatballs with Homemade Ricotta
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 6 to 8 appetizer servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 971
- Total Fat
- 73
- Saturated Fat
- 36
- Carbohydrates
- 43
- Dietary Fiber
- 2
- Sugar
- 25
- Protein
- 38
- Cholesterol
- 290
- Sodium
- 1559
- Total: 1 hr 10 min (includes sitting time)
- Active: 35 min
Ingredients
Meatballs:
2 pounds ground chicken (white and dark meat)
2 cups breadcrumbs
1 roasted red pepper, minced
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
10 fresh basil leaves, minced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Oil, for greasing the baking sheet
Ricotta Cheese:
1/2 gallon whole milk
1 quart buttermilk
1 quart heavy cream
1 tablespoon salt
Homemade or store-bought tomato sauce, for serving
Directions
Special equipment:
A very fine strainer or a strainer lined with cheesecloth- For the meatballs: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the chicken, breadcrumbs, roasted red pepper, buttermilk, parsley, oregano, thyme, basil, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Roll the mixture into 2- to 3-inch balls, though the meatballs can be made into any size desired.
- Place the meatballs on a lightly-greased baking sheet and roast until cooked through and a little brown, 35 to 40 minutes.
- For the ricotta cheese Bring the milk, buttermilk, heavy cream and salt to a boil in a large stockpot over medium heat, then turn off the heat and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Using a very fine strainer or cheesecloth, strain the milk mixture to separate the thick parts, or curds, from the remaining liquid, or whey, over a bowl or container. Discard the whey. For thicker ricotta, let the mixture strain longer so more liquid is removed. Let cool and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Serve the meatballs hot with your favorite homemade or store-bought tomato sauce and garnish with pieces of ricotta.