Ricotta Meatballs Pasta Recipe
Tagliatelle pasta with ricotta meatballs is a delicious, comforting dish that combines savory meatballs made with ricotta cheese, pasta, and a flavorful tomato sauce. The ricotta cheese in the meatballs ensures that the ricotta meatballs are both creamy and super tender. Furthermore, this Italian-inspired meal is easy to prepare and perfect for a quick weekday dinner.
Equipment
- large skillet
- large cooking pot
- large mixing bowl
- electric kettle optional
Ingredients
- 320 g tagliatelle pasta
- extra virgin olive oil
Ingredients for the Herbed Ricotta Mixture
- 250 g ricotta cheese
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried oregano
Ingredients for the Ricotta Meatballs
- 500 g mixed minced meat, 50% pork, 50% beef
- 40 g panko breadcrumbs
- 40 g Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- salt & pepper to taste
Ingredients for the Pasta Sauce
- 800 g Polpa tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
- 1 yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp dried Italian herb mix
Instructions
- Start by mixing the ingredients for the herbed ricotta mixture. Mix the ricotta and dried herbs in a bowl until they are well mixed. Set aside around 75g (a little under 1/4) of the herbed ricotta for on top of the sauce later on.
- Add the rest of the herbed ricotta to the minced meat, along with the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and salt & pepper to taste. Mix everything together until the ingredients are mixed well.
- Roll the ricotta and meat mixture into meatballs around the size of a golf ball. You should be able to get around 20 meatballs out of the mixture.
- Finely dice your onion and your garlic.
- Add a little bit of olive oil to a skillet and fry the ricotta meatballs over high heat until they have some nice and crispy golden brown sides. No need to cook them all through yet. Set the meatballs aside on a plate for now.
- Then in the same pan, add the onion and sautee them until tender over medium heat. Then add the garlic and fry until fragrant. Add the tomato sauce, paste, and the Italian herbs, and let the sauce simmer for a little while.
- In the meantime, boil some water in an electric kettle, or bring plenty of water to a boil on a pot on the stove for your pasta.
- Add the meatballs back to the pan, into the sauce, and let them cook all the way through in the sauce.
- Add plenty of salt to your cooking water and cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packaging.
- Just before draining the pasta, scoop a couple of tablespoons of your pasta water into the tomato sauce, and stir it into the sauce. Then add dollops of the remaining herbed ricotta across the surface of the pasta sauce.
- Either divide the pasta over the plates, and scoop the ricotta and meatballs on top, or add it to the pan with the meatballs and toss until all the pasta is covered with the sauce. Serve & enjoy!
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