I love meatballs! When I was cooking at Third & Vine, our Beef, Pork, and Ricotta meatballs over polenta small plate was a guest favorite. These perfectly tender and succulent meatballs paired with creamy polenta or grits and either my homemade marinara sauce or your favorite jarred sauce will delight your family or guests at any occasion.
This dish makes a great appetizer for a crowd, a perfect meal for 4-6 people, or looks amazing on a large platter on a buffet table.
I may get some flack from Southerners or true Italians for using instant polenta or grits but truth be told there is no difference in quality or taste and the instant products save you at least 25-30 minutes cooking time. And since we are making meatballs and possibly sauce from scratch saving time on the polenta or grits is a welcome advantage. Serve this up with some crusty bread and a crisp light salad for the perfect meal.
Enjoy!
Beef, Pork, and Ricotta Meatballs
Equipment
- food processor
- large mixing bowl
- size 40 or .8oz ice cream scoop
- large heavy-bottom pot
- whisk
- baking sheet
- cooking spray
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1/2 pound ricotta, drained
- 1 large white or yellow onion
- 1 large or 2 medium carrots, peeled
- 1 large stalk celery
- 10 large cloves of garlic
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 2-3 cups plain bread crumbs
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp seasoned salt
- 1 tsp garlic salt
For the Polenta
- 4 cups vegetable stock or water
- 1 cup instant polenta or grits
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees
- Puree the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in the food processor and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Pulse the basil, parsley, and oregano in the food processor to chop.
- Add the herbs, ricotta, eggs, bread crumbs, and spices to the bowl with the pureed vegetables and mix until well combined.
- Add the meats and mix with your hands until just homogeneous.
- Make a small patty and pan fry to test for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
- Portion the meatballs using a size 40 ice cream scoop or approximately 2 tablespoons of meat mixture per ball.
- Place the meatballs on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray; they can be touching.
- Place the tray of meatballs into the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to allow them to firm up a bit before baking.
- Bake the meatballs at 500 degrees for 10 minutes, reduce the heat to 400 and cook another 15 minutes.
For the Polenta
- Place the water and butter with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large pot and bring it to a boil.
- Once boiling slowly pour in the polenta or grits while constantly whisking so the polenta doesn't form lumps.
- Continue whisking as the mixture thickens. It will bubble a lot and splatter, so be careful not to get burned.
- The polenta or grits should be done in about 5-7 minutes for exact cooking time; refer to the package instructions.
- To finish, remove from the heat and whisk in the parmesan cheese. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust seasoning as needed. If the polenta is very thick, you can add a little more water or milk to make it more creamy.
- To serve: pour the polenta on a large platter or serving bowl or divide it into 4-6 smaller bowls. Top with 4-5 meatballs and marinara sauce, then garnish with chopped fresh parsley and/or basil and freshly grated parmesan cheese and finish with a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil.
