Veal Meatballs with Ricotta Cheese and Fresh Mozzarella
While I was making these veal meatballs with ricotta cheese and gooey mozzarella, I was gearing up for the Academy Award’s Red Carpet, which I look more forward to than the awards themselves.
In all the years I’ve lived, I’ve watched things in the world get better, while other things get just plain stupid.
The Red Carpet Might Take Itself Too Seriously
You can no longer ask women at the academy awards “who” they are wearing or “what” they are wearing, unless you get into some SERIOUS questions, because supposedly it insults women. I think it was Reese Witherspoon who started the campaign “ask me more.” This article lists many of the serious questions that the women want to be asked.
One actress wants to be asked ““What social cause are you most passionate about and why?”
Oh my goodness, while all of that is “nice” that is not what the red carpet is for. It’s not the Miss America contest, nor is it an Oprah interview. It’s the red carpet, the one time that glamour IS the reason people are tuning in. In this world of social media, the actresses have a million and one opportunities to champion their causes and become known.
Don’t tell me that women who fretted over make-up, botox injections, cheek implants, jewelry and well, not hair this year, but that’s another story, will feel badly if you talk to them about their appearance. They want to be on that best dressed list. It’s part of the fun, and we need fun.
. Movies are powerful, but their main draw is a place of escape and for sheer entertainment.
We need the red carpet and we care about those dresses!
Doesn’t this picture of the extremely talented Jennifer Lawrence just make you smile?
Next thing, someone will tell me is that I can’t eat veal, but even if they do, I’m not listening.
I’m swooning (mostly) at red carpet fashion and I’m eating veal.
Veal Meatballs Process
When I made these veal meatballs, I was spinning many plates, and made them in steps over two days. I mixed and baked the meatballs on Saturday, placed them in a dish of tomato puree overnight and then on Sunday added the cheese and baked. It almost felt like not cooking!
This is a meal to serve with crusty bread and a salad, when you are craving comfort food Italian style. This could even be a party dish, a heavy appetizer, or game day nosh. It’s man food with a woman’s touch, and a hearty family meal.
I did a little looking around the other day and discovered my most popular category is my Italian food category, which has over 120 Italian recipes. I’ve decided to dig a little deeper and make more Italian food here.
So tell me, do you want more Italian recipes, and what recipes are you most interested in?
Please connect with me on instagram, where I take you on a culinary journey of what we’re eating and drinking in Nashville, and all the things that get whipped up in Spinach Tiger’s kitchen. Just click on my IG feed below.
More Meatballs from Spinach Tiger
- 1 pound ground veal
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup grated pecorino cheese
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- salt
- pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 large can tomato puree
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 8 mini fresh mozzarella balls or 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- Pour milk over ground veal
- Season with salt and pepper
- Add egg, parsley, grated parmesan, bread crumbs and very loosely, gently mix together. You don't want the meat to be compacted, as that will make the meatballs tough.
- Form into small balls.
- Place foil or parchment paper on baking sheet.
- Bake meatballs for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.
- From here, you can place in your own favorite tomato sauce or do the following method.
- Mix white wine with tomato puree. Put meatballs in sauce and refrigerate for several hours to overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Scoop ricotta cheese into baking dish in various places.
- Do same with mozzarella.
- Bake until heated through and cheese is melted about 20 minutes.
Absolutely delicious. Will add to my “go to” list, and pass on to my children. Veal meatballs can be bland, or even tough, unless combined with beef or pork, but these were neither. I must admit that I used my homemade pasta sauce instead of the called for crushed tomatoes and wine. I made the meatballs and covered with my sauce and froze. Months later I was digging around in the freezer, retrieved and partially thawed the meatballs and sauce in the fridge. I was in a rush to the hospital to visit a friend so I emptied the partially thawed contents of the container into an oblong casserole, about 3½ inches deep, covered with foil, and programmed my oven @300° to start while I was away. When I returned an hour later I removed the foil,, broke the meatballs and sauce apart,, scooped in spoonfuls of the cup of ricotta and the cup of grated mozzarella, as directed, and put back into the oven which was by now heated to the 400° temp called for. 25 minutes later I took the photo and posted. Try it. You will definitely like it.
I am doing a meatball post on Sunday, but yours are so much better! Veal makes a great mealball but I am not used to working with this meat. This looks so creamy!
Give me the meatballs. Keep the red carpet. GREG
Greg I so agree.
Just reading this is making me so hungry. I’m looking forward to the weekend when I can make, eat and store some of these yummy looking meatballs!
Angela,
What beautiful pictures of your veal meatballs. They not only look delicious but they sound amazing.
Thanks for sharing!
Diane
Frankly I think your veal meatballs should be strutting their stuff down the red carpet — excellence in taste and form!! Frankly I don’t want to know the starlets opinions I have my own — do they want to listen to mine? If they don’t want that exchange then I don’t care to listen to them spout theirs. Now, your meatballs are totally different. I will listen to whatever they want to tell me. While they are opining I may just take a little bite– it would be totally a love bite. Great recipe. I’ve never made just plain veal meatballs — gotta do it!!
Marissa
That’s a funny comment. Sometimes it’s all just too much with celebrities.
I love that you can make it ahead of time like that! I’ll bet the meatballs soak up all sots of extra saucy goodness, too.
Thank you Nikki