Ingredients
– 500 grams 80% lean ground beef
– 120 grams ricotta cheese
– 2 large eggs
– ¾ cup breadcrumbs
– 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
– 1 teaspoon kosher salt
– 1 teaspoon dried oregano
– ½ teaspoon ground fennel seed
– ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
– 1 tablespoon olive oil for coating baking dish
– 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
– 4 thinly sliced garlic cloves
– 800 grams crushed tomatoes (about 28 ounces)
– 2 tablespoons tomato paste
– 1 teaspoon dried basil
– 1 teaspoon dried oregano
– Salt and pepper to taste
– 1 cup corn meal
– 4 cups water
– 2 tablespoons butter
– ½ cup grated cheese (fontina recommended)
– 1 teaspoon kosher salt
– Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
1-Mixing the Meatball Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the ground beef with ricotta, eggs, breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano, salt, fennel seed, and red pepper flakes until everything blends well.
2-Form and Roast Meatballs: Form this mixture into even golf ball-sized meatballs and place them in an oiled baking dish for roasting. Preheat your oven to 230°C (450°F) and roast the meatballs for about 20 minutes until they’re done, then drain any excess grease.
3-Prepare the Sauce: At the same time, heat olive oil in a skillet, add garlic to brown it lightly, and stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Let the sauce simmer for 20 minutes before pouring it over the meatballs and baking for another 15 to 20 minutes.
4-Cook the Polenta: For the polenta, bring water to a boil and whisk in the corn meal gradually to avoid lumps, cooking it over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes while stirring often. Stir in butter and grated cheese until it melts, then season with salt and pepper.
5-Serve: Serve the polenta warm, topped with the saucy meatballs, and add a side like salad or rustic bread if you like.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
⚖️ Use even-sized scoops for meatballs to ensure uniform cooking.
🍲 Arrange meatballs closely together in the baking dish for even roasting.
🍴 Whisk continuously when adding corn meal to avoid lumps in polenta.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking and simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Contains dairy and gluten
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg