# The SBHonline Community Daily > Restaurants Wine & Food Off The Island >  >  Superbowl Meatballs

## andynap

From NY's Meatball Shop- a little different

Classic Beef Meatballs
Epicurious  | December 2011 

by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow

The Meatball Shop Cookbook 



Here they arethe top sellers at The Shop and sure to be a big hit at home. Most traditional meatball recipes call for Parmesan or pecorino cheese. While we're big fans of these stronger cheeses, we prefer ricotta. It's our secret weapon. The mild and creamy consistency of this fresh cheese gives the meatballs a unique light texture. Beef has a subtle flavor, and the ricotta is a great way to add fat and moisture to the recipe without the overpowering flavor of a sharper cheese. These are quick to prep, and baking rather than frying makes this a fast comfort food even during the busiest of weeks. 


Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil 
2 pounds 80% lean ground beef 
1 cup ricotta cheese 
2 large eggs 
1/2 cup bread crumbs 
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried 
2 teaspoons salt 
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel 
4 cups Tomato Sauce 


Preparation

Preheat the oven to 450°F. 
Drizzle the olive oil into a 9×13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside. 

Combine the ground beef, ricotta, eggs, bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, salt, red pepper flakes, and fennel in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated. 

Roll the mixture into round, golf ball-size meatballs (about 1 1/2 inches), making sure to pack the meat firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. The meatballs should be touching one another. 

Roast for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 165°F. 

While the meatballs are roasting, heat the tomato sauce in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often. 

When the meatballs are firm and fully cooked, remove them from the oven and drain the excess grease from the pan. Pour the tomato sauce over them. Return the meatballs to the oven and continue roasting for another 15 minutes.

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## MIke R

pretty typical recipe.....I ve never  put ricotta in a meatball....have you?

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## andynap

No but it looks interesting. Ricotta has to make it lighter right? I am going to try it.

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## MIke R

yeah  I will too...only I will mix some veal into it and lots of garlic....

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## andynap

I normally use a beef/veal/pork mix but I am doing this recipe as is. Hey- it's the MEATBALL SHOP- right?

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## MIke R

yeah I suppose...I cant help myself..I tweak every recipe I find to suit me

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## Grey

I have been looking for a good meatball recipe with ricotta.  This looks interesting although looking at the recipe I suspect I will add more oregano.

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## MIke R

its pretty basic and typical.....except for the ricotta of course...I generally  do not bake my meatballs....I brown them in a cast iron pan and finish cooking them in the simmering gravy ( red sauce )

fresh oregano and fresh basil will come from my aero garden which is a God send in the winter and worth every penny

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## andynap

Phyllis fries them  a bit first to get some fat out and finishes in the gravy.

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## Peter NJ

These guys were on Chelsey Handler last night.Talking Meatballs.

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## andynap

Here is the full article- many meatball recipes here, chicken, lamb, etc. 

Meatball recipes

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## MIke R

I am going to do them Sunday and I am actually going to stay true to the recipe, just to see...

also doing Arancini..... which I love

it will be a nice combination

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## andynap

I am doing it on Sunday too- making my own ricotta takes overnight-

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## Grey

Made these tonight and I really liked them.  Like Andy mentioned, the ricotta gives the meatballs a nice lightness.

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## rivertrash

I made them yesterday and strictly followed the recipe.  They are very good. The ricotta does make them light.  I will probably make them again, but will use more oregano and a good dose of garlic next time.

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## MIke R

they are on the menu today..along with arancini...pictures to follw

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## andynap

My ricotta is draining getting ready for the meatballs. I too will use more garlic. Chefs are always afraid of garlic for some reason and the recipes reflect that.

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## MIke R

and basil....

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## andynap

Oregano- no basil. You are changing the recipe already.

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## MIke R

no I am not....wanting to...but I wont

this time and this time only

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## Grey

> I made them yesterday and strictly followed the recipe.  They are very good. The ricotta does make them light.  I will probably make them again, but will use more oregano and a good dose of garlic next time.



I like your tweaks and think I will do the same next time.  Plus some basil too, like MikeR suggested.

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## andynap

Basil does not go in meatballs- too distinctive a taste- IMO

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## MIke R

just a little....

background flavor

thyme too

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## andynap

You are describing a meatloaf now not a meatball. There are rules.

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## MIke R

LOL

there are *no* rules in my kitchen....!!!!!!


but yes I get it

I am going to stick to the recipe.....I may need some policing though while doing it

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## MIke R

so can I assume you object to my putting some peas and  mushrooms in the rice, which will be the arancini as well?

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## andynap

Peas and mushrooms in rice are good.

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## MIke R

good

and I am flouring them n your rice flour too

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## andynap

Nice and fried. Phyllis makes a killer potato cake- not flat like latkes- but round- boiled potatoes, riced, a little egg, grana padano cheese, fresh parlsey, formed and dipped in egg and rice flour and fried. I'm getting hungry. The beef is getting to room temp now.

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## MIke R

mine too.... gravy is ready....Wendi finally just pulled her lemon bars and chestnut bars out of the oven....and now the kitchen is mine

got my rigatoni,mushroom, eggplant, peppers, onions and cheese casserole for the week set to go in the oven

and then I can start to cook todays  dinner

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## andynap

I'm doing 3 entrees tonight- meatballs for now,  hot sausage in gravy and extra gravy for pasta. Veggies and salad made to order.

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## Grey

> Basil does not go in meatballs- too distinctive a taste- IMO



I admire the strength of your convictions!  Perhaps I will just stick to serving it with a tomato-basil sauce and leave the basil out of the meatballs.

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## MIke R

yum!!!..that was the consensus....the meatballs are a keeper for sure...unanimous

the arancini was a rice with saffron, mushrooom, and  peas with a cube of fresh mozz in the middle




The meatballs were excellent but  will be "tweaked" next time.....easy recipe too...


 



thanks for the recipe Andy....its a good one

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## andynap

Here are mine-

out of the oven

 


Cooked in gravy, grana padano cheese on top, Sarcone seeded bread- best in the City- roasted peppers and a Toscana Red.

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## MIke R

what did  you think of them?

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## MIke R

I had a Toscana red too

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## andynap

> what did  you think of them?




They were good but a little dense for my taste- Phyl's meatballs are beef, pork and veal and are softer than these but -surprise- she liked them better than her own. These will be good for my daughter-in-law who can't eat pork.

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## MIke R

yes they were significantly denser than mine too....


but we all liked them....

they will go into the rotation...

 I have a northern Italian recipe which uses pine nuts and raisins  and a little heat which everyone loves as well

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## griemersma

Made the meatballs tonight and they are very good.  These are a winner!

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## Voosh

These recipes sound great. Am passing them on to the chief cook here (Kathy. I just follow directions, usually.) 

My Mom made the most incredible meatballs. (No, I'm not prejudiced.   :Wink:  ) Mom never wrote down the recipe. Kathy and my sister have been trying for years to replicate it. Ate a lot of tasty meatballs. But, am waiting for the "mother lode." 

BTW, peas in meatballs just doesn't do it for me.

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## MIke R

> BTW, peas in meatballs just doesn't do it for me.




Vooshie.....RTFP...LOL

peas are not in meatballs...peas are in arancini...which are deep fried floured and battered rice balls.....a Sicilian staple appetizer

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## Voosh

Mike, 

Thought I saw some peas in the meatballs. I don't like green peas in anything. Eat 'em raw off the vine or slightly sauteed. Works for me. 

As kids, we called them "pea bastards." Must've been because we just got sick and tired of frozen peas as kids.

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## Grey

MikeR, I'll bet those arancini would make a great Super Bowl app. Speaking of which, what do you all have planned food-wise?

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## andynap

I am doing chicken wings for Sunday

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## MIke R

I have a 16 pound local farmed turkey... ....and all the fixings.....havent quite figured out what the apps will be yet...so much going on this week its going  to be a last minute thing

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## Peter NJ

We know he won't be serving brauts

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## MIke R

not this year at least...

we'll be back....count on it

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