MAKES 8 MEATBALLS
Can you make a better tasting meatball? Absolutely! Just stuff them with a creamy, melting cheese like Fontina! This may be a little unconventional way to make them, but the taste elevates meatballs to elegant and they can be served alone or in tomato sauce. Achieve great flavor by using a combination of ground chuck and ground sirloin because the fat in ground chuck is essential for moistness, while the sirloin provides great texture.
1/2 cup good quality bread crumbs
1/3 cup heavy cream or half/half
1/2 pound ground chuck
1/2 pound ground sirloin
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
Grinding coarse black pepper to taste
1/2 pound Fontina or mozzarella cheese cut into 8 small pieces
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Put the bread crumbs in a medium size bowl and pour the cream over them. Mix with a fork; the mixture will not be soupy.
Add the ground chuck, sirloin, and salt and pepper. Mix just to combine the ingredients. Divide the mixture into 8 equal pieces and roll each in the palm of your hand to make compact 2 1/2-inch balls.
Insert your thumb into the middle of each meatball and push in a piece of cheese. Close the meatball encasing the cheese and smooth the top.
Place the meatballs on a rimmed, nonstick baking sheet. Bake them for 20-25 minutes or until they are nicely browned. Serve hot as is or put them in tomato sauce and serve with pasta or as a second course.
Variation: make the meatballs miniature size and bake them for 10-12 minutes. Serve as an antipasto. Leftovers make great sandwich filling too!
Cook's Secret: If you wet your hands between making each meatball, the meat mixture will not stick to your hands.
This recipe is featured on show 1812, Sicilian Meatballs - Purpetit Siciliani.
This recipe is featured on Season 18 - Episode 1812.
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Dudley Johnson
Thanks
Dudley
Paul Lally, Executive producer
And here's hoping and praying that you can enjoy great Italian cooking in the future. Our prayers are with you.
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