Words and photos by Amanda Callahan of Callywood Farms
Adapted from this recipe.
I’ve been making this recipe for years, and it has become a beloved standby. It simplifies making meatballs by multiple steps and ingredients, and the results are still tender and delicious with endless possibilities. Serve them over spaghetti with tomato sauce, glazed in jam for an appetizer, or with a side of Romesco such as this one. I used ground pork here, but you can use any meat you like including ground chicken as in the original recipe linked above. In the summertime, I swap the rosemary for basil — use what speaks to you and the seasons. You really can’t go wrong. My family prefers straight up meatballs without the bread, but you can certainly add in breadcrumbs if desired.
Ingredients
1 small onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground meat
8 oz. ricotta cheese
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, minced
1 egg, whisked
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a small sauté pan, sauté the onion until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for another minute. Set aside to cool down.
3. Set up a sheet pan and line with a Silpat mat, parchment paper or tin foil.
4. In a large mixing bowl combine the meat, cheese, rosemary, cooled onion/garlic, egg, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands until combined.
5. Form the mixture into meatballs and arrange on the sheet pan.
6. Bake for about 25 minutes, turning the meatballs and pan after the first 15 minutes. They should get nice and brown with some darker brown spots.
