Ricotta Stuffed Meatballs on Polenta
This is comfort food at its best. Large ricotta filled meatballs are perfect as an appetizer or main course served on very creamy polenta to warm your belly on a cool winter’s night.
- Prep: 30 min
- Cooking: 45 min
Ingredients
- Ricotta Filling
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) Canadian Ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh parsley
- Pinch salt
- Stuffed Meatballs
- 12 oz (375 g) ground veal
- 12 oz (375 g) ground pork
- 3/4 cup (175 mL) fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup (50 mL) freshly grated Canadian Parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsp (45 mL) finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
- 3 cups (750 mL) homemade or store-bought pasta sauce heated
- Creamy Polenta
- 3 cups (750 mL) milk
- 1 cup (250 mL) water
- 1 cup (250 mL) cornmeal
- 1 tsp (5 mL) salt
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) freshly grated Canadian Parmesan cheese
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Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
Ricotta Filling
: In a bowl, stir together, ricotta, breadcrumbs, parsley and salt. Roll into 16 little balls; set aside.
Stuffed Meatballs
: In a large bowl, mix together veal, pork, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, parsley, garlic and salt until well combined. Using wet hands, divide mixture into 16 balls. Flatten each ball and place a ricotta ball in centre; pinch meat around the ricotta ball and roll into a large meatball. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes or until no longer pink inside, but not browned.
Pour half of the pasta sauce in a 13 x 9-inch (3 L) glass baking dish. Add meatballs to sauce and pour remaining sauce over top. Cover and bake for about 30 minutes or sauce is bubbly.
Creamy Polenta
: Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring milk and water to a simmer over medium heat; gradually whisk in cornmeal and salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking often, for about 15 minutes or until polenta is very creamy and thick.
Stir Parmesan into polenta and divide among serving plates; place meatball on top and spoon sauce over top.
Tips
If you don’t have fresh breadcrumbs, soak stale bread in milk or water and break up into small pieces and add to meat mixture.
Cooked meatballs can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
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Nutritional information
Per serving| Energy: | 461 Calories |
| Protein: | 28 g |
| Carbohydrate: | 29 g |
| Fat: | 25 g |
| Fibre: | 3.1 g |
| Sodium: | 747 mg |
Top 5 Nutrients
| (% DV*) | |
|---|---|
| Calcium: | 25 % / 278 mg |
| Vitamin B12: | 106 % |
| Selenium: | 65 % |
| Thiamin: | 43 % |
| Zinc: | 43 % |
