We made these for dinner last night. Obviously we used turkey instead of veal. I've made a few notes on the prep and I'll add a couple more comments.
Make sure your cocktail, glass of wine, or water bottle is close at hand. Do NOT try to multi task! These guys go from pale and raw to dark brownin a flash. Have a backup oddball flipper in case you need to go to the bathroom mid meatball browning. Also - do not try to make them any bigger than 1 1/2". Don't ask how I know that they collapse and become patties instead of balls.
These are sinfully good! Everyone loved them and pigged out totally.
Turkey Ricotta Oddballs
(serves 6)
* 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
* 3 cups fresh ricotta cheese
* 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
* 1 large egg
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* All-purpose flour for dusting
* Canola oil for frying
* 1 can (28 ounces) San Marzano tomatoes, chopped
* 1 stick of butter
* 1/4 bunch fresh basil, roughly chopped
* 1 garlic clove, chopped
__________
1. Preheat the oven to 350'F
2. In a mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, place the veal, ricotta, parmesan, egg, nutmeg, salt and pepper (keep all the ingredients cold before starting)
3. Mix at medium speed until the mixture comes together, about 1 minute - be sure to scrape down the bowl well at least once or you will find unincorporated meat. It will be a wet mixture.
4. Dust your hands with flour and form the mixture into oddballs (1 1/2 in diameter). Okay you can do it that way if you want - but it's much easier to just use a 1 1/2 cookie scoop. The other way you wind up with goop.
5. Pour 1 inch of oil into a large non-stick skillet over high heat. I didn't have canoloa oil - used olive. I would change this part. Much easier to put an inch of oil in an 8" saute pan. Save the big pan for the final baking.
6. Sear the oddballs in batches until golden brown on all sides. Tranfer to a tray lined with paper towels
7. Clean the skillet, add the tomatoes, the butter, basil and garlic. You won't have to wash the skillet if you use a smaller one.
8. Simmer for 5 minutes before adding the oddballs
9. Cover and braise in the oven for 1 hour or until the sauce is thick
10. Adjust seasoning if necessary
11. Serve over fresh pasta sprinkled with chopped basil and parmesan. We served over radiatore - and they were perfect. I had hoped to make pasta but. . . ?
We also served this with the carrots and fennel in this month's issue!!! Fantasitc!!
Make sure your cocktail, glass of wine, or water bottle is close at hand. Do NOT try to multi task! These guys go from pale and raw to dark brownin a flash. Have a backup oddball flipper in case you need to go to the bathroom mid meatball browning. Also - do not try to make them any bigger than 1 1/2". Don't ask how I know that they collapse and become patties instead of balls.
These are sinfully good! Everyone loved them and pigged out totally.
Turkey Ricotta Oddballs
(serves 6)
* 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
* 3 cups fresh ricotta cheese
* 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
* 1 large egg
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* All-purpose flour for dusting
* Canola oil for frying
* 1 can (28 ounces) San Marzano tomatoes, chopped
* 1 stick of butter
* 1/4 bunch fresh basil, roughly chopped
* 1 garlic clove, chopped
__________
1. Preheat the oven to 350'F
2. In a mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, place the veal, ricotta, parmesan, egg, nutmeg, salt and pepper (keep all the ingredients cold before starting)
3. Mix at medium speed until the mixture comes together, about 1 minute - be sure to scrape down the bowl well at least once or you will find unincorporated meat. It will be a wet mixture.
4. Dust your hands with flour and form the mixture into oddballs (1 1/2 in diameter). Okay you can do it that way if you want - but it's much easier to just use a 1 1/2 cookie scoop. The other way you wind up with goop.
5. Pour 1 inch of oil into a large non-stick skillet over high heat. I didn't have canoloa oil - used olive. I would change this part. Much easier to put an inch of oil in an 8" saute pan. Save the big pan for the final baking.
6. Sear the oddballs in batches until golden brown on all sides. Tranfer to a tray lined with paper towels
7. Clean the skillet, add the tomatoes, the butter, basil and garlic. You won't have to wash the skillet if you use a smaller one.
8. Simmer for 5 minutes before adding the oddballs
9. Cover and braise in the oven for 1 hour or until the sauce is thick
10. Adjust seasoning if necessary
11. Serve over fresh pasta sprinkled with chopped basil and parmesan. We served over radiatore - and they were perfect. I had hoped to make pasta but. . . ?
We also served this with the carrots and fennel in this month's issue!!! Fantasitc!!
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough!