Lamb Meatballs with Tomato Sauce, Sheep's Milk Cheese and Cucumbers: Albondigas de Cordero
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 10 servings
- Calories
- 964
- Total Fat
- 84
- Saturated Fat
- 17
- Carbohydrates
- 14
- Dietary Fiber
- 2
- Sugar
- 6
- Protein
- 39
- Cholesterol
- 152
- Sodium
- 908
- Total: 1 hr 20 min
- Prep: 30 min
- Cook: 50 min
Ingredients
Tomato sauce:
1 onion, finely minced
1 clove garlic, minced
10 Roma tomatoes, blanched and peeled, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons roughly chopped basil leaves
1 fresh bay leaf
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Meatballs:
3 pounds lamb breast
1 pound lamb top round
20 grams kosher salt
1/2 cup white bread cubes, crusts discarded, soaked in milk
1/2 cup finely minced onion
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 teaspoons freshly chopped oregano leaves
4 teaspoons freshly chopped sage leaves
4 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
1 egg, beaten
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Vegetable oil, for frying
Topping:
1 cup fresh sheep's milk ricotta
1 English cucumber, finely chopped
Directions
- For the sauce: In a large pot, over medium heat, sweat onion, then add garlic and tomato. Cook for 5 minutes. Add sugar, vinegar and remaining ingredients and cook down for 45 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and run through a food mill. Set aside.
- Meatballs: Dice the meat and mix with salt. Grind twice with 1/4-inch dice. Add all other ingredients except egg and paddle in standing mixer for 1 minute. Add the egg and mix to combine.
- Form into 1-inch round balls, dust with all-purpose flour. Add a coating of oil to a large skillet, and shallow-fry the meatballs until golden. Cover with tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes over low heat. Sprinkle with ricotta and chopped cucumber and serve.