Bake and Brown Meatballs
On my trip to Toronto, I had the most delicious meatballs at Taverna Mercatto! I asked the waiter how the chef prepared them and what he told me kind of shocked me because I always made mine the exact opposite way! They were so incredibly moist and delicious you know I had to try it! Not only is my bake method different, I also added ricotta into my meatball recipe to get an extra moist result just as the recipe called for at Taverna Mercatto. Now this is not their exact meatball recipe, I just took a few of their tips, added the ricotta based on their recommendation, and then used my usual recipe. After baking, then browning and adding the ricotta I realized a couple of things: not only did the meatballs stay together and they didn't fall apart in my sauce while simmering, but they also were very moist and delicious! Are you ready to try the bake then brown method? Then let's do it!
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ lb ground chuck
- ½ lb ground pork
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 6 garlic cloves chopped
- ¼ cup grated pecorino romano
- ⅓ cup italian breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 - 4 tbsp olive oil
- Homemade sauce for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl add in ground chuck, ground pork, parsley, garlic, pecorino romano, breadcrumbs, egg, ricotta, salt, and black pepper. Using your hands mix that together until incorporated but DON'T OVERMIX!
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Begin rolling the meat mixture into meatballs and arrange them on the baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch of space between each. Bake them in the oven at 400°F for 12 minutes. Once the meatballs are done, set them aside.
- Heat up a pan with olive oil. Now, add in the partially cooked meatballs and quickly brown them on a medium-high heat for about 1 - 2 minutes. Once they are done, pop them into your homemade or store bought sauce and let them simmer in the sauce at a low heat for at least 30 minutes or all day. Serve as is or over pasta and garnish with freshly grated pecorino romano. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 312kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 17gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 499mgPotassium: 260mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 0.4gVitamin A: 296IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 130mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!