Chef Joe Isidori shares the family-style meatballs that shaped his Sundays growing up. Made with simple ingredients and a generous spoon of ricotta, this is the Arthur and Sons comfort dish that tastes like home. You can also explore his old-school gravy recipe for more of his classic flavors.
Family Style Meatballs with Ricotta
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesTomato Sauce Ingredients
2 2 #10 cans La Valle Ground Tomatoes
1/4 cup 1/4 extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups 1 1/2 onions, diced
1 cup 1 garlic, sliced
2 tbsp. 2 kosher salt
1 tbsp. 1 oregano
2 tbsp. 2 granulated garlic
1 1/2 tsp. 1 1/2 ground black pepper
2 cups 2 Mutti tomato paste
- Roasted garlic ingredients
1 qt. 1 extra virgin olive oil
2 cups 2 garlic, thinly sliced
- Meatball ingredients
2 lbs. 2 ground beef
1 lb. 1 Pork King Sweet Italian Sausages
1 cup 1 Italian bread crumbs
3 3 eggs, whole
4 oz. 4 Romano cheese, grated
3 tbsp. 3 parsley
10 oz. 10 Polly-O Old Fashioned Ricotta cheese
1 tsp. 1 oregano
1 tsp. 1 salt
3 tbsp. 3 roasted garlic, chopped
- Building the meatballs ingredients
12 12 meatballs in sauce
12 oz. 12 tomato sauce
1 cup 1 Polly-O Old Fashioned Ricotta cheese
drizzle extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
shaved parmesan cheese
12 12 leaves basil
Instructions:
Tomato Sauce
- Toast garlic in EVOO until golden.
- Add onions and cook until soft. While the onions are cooking down, add salt, pepper, oregano,
and granulated garlic to release aromatics. Then add the tomato paste and cook until the bright
red color turns to a lighter rust color. - Add the ground tomatoes and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 3 hours.
- Roasted garlic
- Combine oil and garlic together in a 4qt sauce pot. Slowly bring to a simmer while constantly stirring.
- Remove from heat when garlic has a golden color. The garlic will continue to cook in the
carry-over and will attain a toasted color. - Continue stirring until off heat until it has cooled.
- Once cooled, strain roasted garlic and reserve the garlic and garlic oil for various
applications. - Meatballs directions
- Crumble the beef and pork in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until evenly combined. Be careful not to overwork.
- Portion out 3 oz balls of the combined mix.
- Once all is portioned, deep-fry meatballs using blended oil at 350 ̊F. Fry in smallbatches,
in single layers, until golden brown or 4-5 minutes, - Remove from the fryer and place in a stainless steel rondeau. Cover meatballs with tomato sauce until they are just submerged.
- Braise in the tomato sauce with a lid in the oven at 350 ̊F for 3-4 hours.
- Building the meatballs directions
- Place meatballs into a family-style serving bowl.
- Ladle tomato sauce over meatballs.
- Top meatballs with dollops of ricotta cheese.
- Drizzle with EVO and season with salt & pepper.
- Garnish with torn basil leaves, shaved parmesan cheese.
- Serve with a serving spoon.
Notes
- See Old School Sunday Gravy recipe by Chef Joe Isidori
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @appetitomagazine on Instagram and hashtag it with #italianfoodanddrink
Like this recipe?
Follow @Appetitomagazine on Pinterest
Follow us on Facebook!
Follow us on Facebook
Check out Chef Joe Isidori's Old School Sunday Gravy recipe here.
