Pork and Ricotta Meatballs

I’m always on the lookout for a good meatball recipe and this is a good one.  I like the fact that it uses ground pork but in the recipe it states you can substitute ground chicken as well.  My husband loves these and I think the ricotta is the winning ingredient here.  They are very large meatballs but very tender.  Do not over mix.

Unfortunately I cannot link the recipe because I do not have an account with NYT Cooking.  If you do, it will pop up if you put in the recipe name.

Pork and Ricotta Meatballs by NYT Cooking 

4 ounces whole milk ricotta (I like Polly-O)

2 ounces grated Parmesan (my fave is Stella)

2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large egg

1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs, preferably homemade

1 pound ground pork or ground chicken

Heat oven to 425 degrees.   In a large bowl combine all the ingredients EXCEPT the pork.  Stir together thoroughly.  Add the pork and stir with a large fork, not your hands, until ingredients are distributed evenly.

Shape the meatballs into 12 equally sized balls.  I used an ice cream scoop and it worked out very well.  Arrange on a greased rimmed baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.  

You can add them to tomato sauce and serve over spaghetti.  This is what I did.  But I think they would be delicious plain with maybe mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli.  The recipe also suggests just using the tomato sauce for dipping:  sounds like a possible appetizer!  They also freeze really well.  

ricotta, Parmesan, salt, pepper, egg, breadcrumbs, mix together:

then add pork:

very gently mix together until incorporated:

place meatballs on greased rimmed cookie sheet:

after 20 minutes:

into the tomato sauce, yum!