WHB: Pork-and-Ricotta Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (Fennel Seed)

Several months ago while reading Food & Wine magazine,  I saw a recipe for Pork and Ricotta Meatballs, served at A16, a San Francisco restaurant.  I remembered how a friend raved about the meatballs after visiting the restaurant. So, my interest was stoked and I made a mental note to make the meatballs and see if they were really as good as people claimed.  Just the thought of making them was compelling, because I have a fatal weakness for meatball.  I don't know why a clump of meat tastes better rolled into a little ball, but it does. As for these particular meaty orbs, I wound up eating 6 meatballs for dinner. Nothing else, just the meatballs. (The tomato sauce counts as a vegetable, and a fruit.)   Later, while putting the leftovers away, I jammed two more meatballs into my mouth.  I will make these again, and feel deliriously happy that there are now several containers of them stashed in the freezer. 

Looking at the recipe, I saw a lot to like, especially the fennel seed. When I was younger, I hated fennel in all forms.   But, that changed and I seek out fennel now, in  bulb or seed.   The seed is actually the fruit of the plant, and has an anise-like flavor.  Some people use fennel seed to soothe and settle an upset stomach.  However, I rely on it as an excellent flavoring for foods.  Although technically, it's a spice, I'm featuring it for Weekend Herb Blogging, which was created by the lovely Kalyn at Kalyn's Kitchen. This week WHB is being hosted by the fabulous Anh at Food Lover's Journey.  Do yourself a favor and head over to her site, to see all the great herby recipes in her roundup this weekend.  You'll be very glad you did.

This recipe is listed as a staff favorite at Food & Wine, a very reliable recommendation, I've found.  Here's the way it began--a big bowl full of breadcrumbs, pork, pancetta, ricotta, fennel seed and other ingredients.   After mixing it, I used a 1/4 measuring cup to make each ball.  I wound up with 23 balls.

Then they bake in crushed plum tomatoes, until the sauce is thick and the meatballs are very tender.

I think they would taste great for breakfast--but I froze the leftovers.  Bad planning. 
 

Pork-and-Ricotta Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

(Food & Wine)

SERVES: 8

INGREDIENTS

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1/2 pound sliced white bread, crusts removed and bread cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 1/2 pounds lean ground pork
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup ricotta cheese (5 ounces)
3 ounces pancetta, thinly sliced and minced
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Kosher salt
Two 28-ounce cans peeled Italian tomatoes, crushed
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons shredded basil
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

DIRECTIONS
    1.    Preheat the oven to 400°. In a food processor, pulse the bread to coarse crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a large bowl and add the pork, pancetta, eggs, ricotta, parsley, oregano, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Mix well. Shape into 24 meatballs, using about 3 rounded tablespoons of the mixture for each. I found that a 1/4 measuring cup gave the right amount of meat for each meatball.  Transfer the meatballs to an oiled medium roasting pan.  (I used 2 smaller baking pans.)
    2.    Roast the meatballs in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until firm and just beginning to brown. Using a spatula, loosen the meatballs from the bottom of the pan. Add the crushed tomatoes to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Lower the oven temperature to 325° and cook uncovered for about 2 hours, or until the sauce is very thick and the meatballs are very tender; turn the meatballs once or twice during cooking.  (My meatballs were ready in about 75 minutes.)
    3.    Transfer the meatballs and tomato sauce to a large platter. Garnish with the basil and Pecorino and serve hot.

Comments

[kross-eyed kitty]

OMG.
I am definitely going to have to make this. I have fennel seeds in my cupboard that I have been so curious to use in a recipe.
This is the one...it looks devine!

[Tanna]

Well I don't know Sher, this looks like you're trying to take over the world. Those look just amazingly good. I am really excited to try these. How wonderful that they are baked!
I think the picture of the ingredients is fantastic!

[Lydia]

Would these work with ground turkey? I'm not a pork person, but turkey often makes a decent substitute. I'd need to add some moisture or fat, I guess, to compensate for the fat in the pork? But I think turkey and fennel would be delicious.

[Butta Buns]

Heavenly! I think I'll just retire my cookbooks and use your blog as weekly recipe planner. But does the tomato sauce splatter and get all over the inside of the oven as it cooks?

[LiberalFoodie]

this is wonderful. I am glad you cook as much as you do b/c it gives me an inspiration and a good reminder. For instance, we haven't had meatballs and spaghetti in a long time. I am making this tonight with the tomatoes that must be used. Like Lydia said, I wonder how much difference ground turkey will make? I hope not too much because non beef and pork eaters have to opt for that option for a good meatball.

[Kalyn]

I love fennel seed, and I'm quite intrigued by the idea of adding ricotta to meatballs. Sounds like a keeper.

BTW, I have the same thing going on about meatballs. Somehow they just taste better than hamburger patties. Why?

[Lisa]

Ay ay ay! Must make this immediately! I also adore meatballs. And the nice thing is, you can always eat just one more!

[aria]

mmmmmm meatballs <---homer simpson voice.
there is nothing better than a freezer full of meatballs! i'm jealous.

[taboo]

sher, is it possible to defrost a few for this weekend's cat blogging??

[s'kat]

I haven't eaten yet today, but this seems to have kick-started the appetite. Wow!!

[Pookah]

I love meatballs too! We have them frequently, on spaghetti, in Italian wedding soup, sneaked as a snack when the spouse isn't looking, on sub.....Yours look great! Baked, like I make them and seasoned differently: variety is the "spice" of life. You, photography, on the other hand is fantastic! Wow! How do you do that?

Have a great weekend!

[sher]

Kross-eyed kitty,

I love fennel, particularly in meat dishes. It adds a beautiful flavor. That's the thing I always love about Italian sausage.

Tanna,

I think we should all try to take over the world--with recipes!!! What a great way to rule, eh? LOL!

Lydia, and LiberalFoodie,

Yes, I think it would work fine with the ground turkey that has white and dark meat in it. I've used it in other ground meat dishes that call for pork. I haven't had as great a success with 100% ground turkey breast. It seems a bit dry me.

ButtaBuns,

No, I'm happy to say that it didn't splatter at all. I used two pans, rather than one, so I'm not sure what happens if it's all in one pan. I used one can of sauce in each pan. It's very easy to make this.

Kalyn,

The meatballs were quite tender, probably due to the ricotta and the bread crumbs. I used fresh bread, so they were nice and soft.

Lisa,

You will want to eat more than one of these. :):) I sure did!

Aria,

Oh yeah!! I feel very secure, knowing I have all those meatballs in my freezer.

Taboo,

Don't tempt me! :):) Actually, I don't think the kitties would want this--but I sure would!

s'kat,

Yes, meatballs will do that! Evil little devils! :)

Pookah,

Meatballs are fun, no doubt about that. I never get tired of finding ways to eat them. Thank you about my pictures. I think most of the credit goes to the nice camera I received for Christmas. I get very close to the food and snap away! :):)

[Jenny]

Ooh that looks like Monday night's dinner!
Thanks!

[Callipygia]

Sher it never fails to amaze me how many meatballs there are rolling about in this great big world. These look divine- and ricotta cheese? I never would have thought. Another recipe to bookmark!

[Jennifer]

Man I am drooling over the thought of these. Yum. I wish I could find pancetta here, but nowhere local sells it! (Or Proscuitto!) This looks wonderful, Sher!

[Katie]

These looke fantastic! They look incredibly moist. I just used the last of my ricotta, damn. Must buy more!
Really poor planning to freeze them all - they would have been perfect for breakfast, standing in the open fridge, eaten with fingers, naturally.

[anne]

Hmmm. These look absolutely lovely... and yet, I'm a vegetarian! Maybe I could try them with one of the faux-meat products on the market - Gimme Lean might work. I covet these meatballs, which is quite silly given that meat is supposed to be an anathema to me! We'll call them veggieballs. I'll let you know how it goes.

[gattina]

I really love putting fennel seeds and pork together! I haven't tried baking meatball (I did mine simming in sauce), got to try!

[Kimbo]

These look great! I don't see pancetta listed in the ingredients, though. Can you tell us how much and in what form? :)

Thanks!

[trishinomaha]

I am licking the screen...I am so going to make these next week!

[julespeg]

Thanks for this recipe. We love the meatball in our house- especially on Sundays. I will make this tomorrow.

I agree with butta buns- I will throw away my cookbooks and just read this amazing blog!

[Anh]

Sher, this looks absolutely wonderful! I love the addition of fennel seeds here, too. I will try to modify it a bit since I won't take pork. BIf you say it is good, it must be! (I have tried several recipes from you, and all are excellent!)

[Susan from Food "Blogga"]

Oh, I just love adding fennel to sauce; it adds complexity, doesn't it? What a fantastic recipe this is, Sher!

[Boston Chef]

These look fantastic - great recipe! With pancetta, no less...! Wonderful. We love fennel too - fennel seeds get their own special spice grinder in our kitchen.. next to the pepper grinder. A must for sausage or meatballs like yours!

[valentina]

I love this recipe. I grew up drinking a lot of fennel tea made with fennel seeds. it is quite big in Brasill.But just started cookiing with it after moving to the UK.

[Amy]

Those look really, really good. Definitely saving this recipe. Thanks!

[sandeepa]

I like the adding of tomatoes to the rosating pan. Shall try with my Chicken Balls and see how it goes

[Julie]

These really do sound good -- particularly the idea of pancetta and ricotta in the meatballs.

I'll probably use ground turkey too. If you look for the stuff marked 7% fat it will not be dry.

[Shawnda]

Okay, you win - ricotta in a meatball. I have to make these meatballs for dinner sometime this week!

[hottub johnny]

1/2 pound sliced bread - how many cups does this equal? I don't have a kitchen scale, so I have no idea how many slices equals 1/2 pound.