Meatballs Stuffed with Cheese & Baked in a Tomato Sauce
Description
These meatballs are a favorite. We like to bake them in the oven and then finish them in an outdoor wood-fired oven. But, they can be finished inside in the oven also, they just won't have that smokey taste. The recipe makes a lot of meatballs, but they are great leftover on sandwiches. We have even crumbled them on top of a pizza that has become another favorite. One more reason to make too many meatballs!.
Noted on 8/12/2013
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 28-ounce cans whole plum tomatoes with their juice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt to taste, about 2 teaspoons
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp crushed red pepper
- 3 cup cubed crustless italian bread
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground veal
- 1 lb ground pork
- 3 large eggs
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup packed fresh basil, finely chopped
- 2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Additional Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for sprinkling
Tomato Sauce
Meatballs
Filling and Topping
Finishing and Serving
Method
- In a large pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil and add the shallots and garlic. Sauté them until they soften about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper and 1/2 cup of water.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes, until reduced to 5 to 6 cups.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Run the cubed bread under water and squeeze out any excess. Add the bread to a large bowl along with the remaining meatball ingredients. Mix everything together with your hands until well combined. Sauté a small amount of the meatball mixture in a small skillet and taste to check for seasoning. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Form 10 equal sized meatballs about the size of a baseball. Place the meatballs in a large baking dish. In a bowl or large measuring cup combine 2 cups of the tomato sauce with 2 cups of water. Pour the mixture over the meatballs so that they are three-quarters covered. Add more water if necessary. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the baking dish from the oven and using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to a cutting board. Leave the oven on if finishing the meatballs right away. Raise the temperature to 400° F. Let the meatballs stand until they are cool enough to handle.
- Using a melon baller or a teaspoon, carve out a small plug on the underside of each meatball and then scoop out a bit more meatball (about a tablespoon and a half), being careful not to crack the meatball. Using a pastry bag filled with the fillling mixture (below), stuff each meatball with filling. Replace the plug and put the meatballs back into their baking dish. The meatballs may also be placed into smaller decorative serving dishes to finish cooking (provided the serving dishes are oven-safe).
- Make the filling while the meatballs cool.
- In a medium bowl, mix all the filling ingredients until they are well combined.
- Spoon additional tomato sauce over the meatballs using a 1 to 2 cups. Transfer the baking dish(es) to the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the meatballs and using the pastry bag filled with the filling/topping, pipe some topping onto each of the meatballs. Sprinkle with the parmigiano and return to the oven for 2 or 3 minutes more. Serve.
For the tomato sauce:
For the meatballs:
For the filling and topping:
Finishing the meatballs:
Cook's Notes
Yield
10 servings
Advance Prep
The meatballs can be made, cooked, drained, covered and refrigerated for 2 or 3 days.
The tomato sauce can be made a couple of days ahead.
Special Equipment
A disposable pastry bag