You know how you try a new restaurant you judge it by their margarita or salsa or pasta sauce. We love Italian restaurants and my husband always likes to order a meatball on the side to test them. I came across this recipe trying to use up some Italian sausage. I’m normally not a fan of it, but I have to say this was pretty tasty and easy to make!
Sausage Ricotta Meatball Bake
(Adapted from Le Creuset)
For the Sausage Ricotta Meatballs
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, nely chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon pepper
1-pound ground Italian pork sausage
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
For the Basil Pomodoro Sauce
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small yellow onion, nely diced
4 large cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper akes
1 (28-ounce) can Italian crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil, chiffonade
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
To prepare the meatballs, preheat the oven to 400 F. Add the breadcrumbs to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, and pulse until finely ground. Place breadcrumbs in a large mixing bowl. Add the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, fennel, oregano and pepper and stir to combine.
Add the sausage meat and gently stir again. Form meat into roughly 2-inch meatballs and place in a 10” signature skillet. Bake in preheated oven until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Remove meatballs from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
Let the skillet cool for about 5 minutes and leave the oven on.
For the sauce, return the skillet to medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Turn heat down to low and add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook just until garlic is fragrant and nutty but not browning, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes to the skillet and stir. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add the basil and sugar, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the meatballs back to the skillet and stir to coat with the sauce. Top the meatballs with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and place the preheated oven.
Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 10 minutes.
Shout out to Kim, thanks for the photo and I’m glad your family enjoyed it!
