Let me tell you a little bit about my mom. Her name is Gloria (Nonni to my kids), she's an amazing cook, and she will do anything for anyone. Nonni, as you might have guessed, is Italian and so is her cooking. It threw her for a loop when I started eating gluten-free. She is a pasta-maker, a bread-baker, and a meatball afficionado, all of which generally involve gluten. After looking at many meatball recipes, I realized that the breadcrumbs weren't really necessary. I struck gold when I found Julia Turshen's turkey and ricotta meatball recipe in her wonderful and perfectly-named cookbook, Small Victories. I made a few changes (I like ground beef or better yet, ground beef and lamb), but was impressed by how well the meatballs held together without breadcrumbs. The flavor is spot-on and the texture is unexpectedly light and almost fluffy (thank you, ricotta).     

Nonni, who will do anything for anyone, was happy to oblige (she also always stocks ricotta, thank heavens).  As we focus on entertaining on the blog this summer, I can't help but think of her.  Her gracious home begs the visitor to come in and stay awhile. It is stocked with cupboards and cupboards of coffee cups, millions of blankets, and a library of books. Once I brought all of my employees to her home for an impromptu dinner and she didn't even bat an eye. She could cook for 20 in her sleep. You too can be like Nonni. Say "yes" often. Hug everyone you meet. Make these meatballs for your friends and family. And if you really want to be like Nonni, throw a parmesan rind in your sauce while it simmers (you won't regret it!). 

Be sweet &

See you soon.

Geri   

Ricotta Meatballs + Sauce

serves 4 (about 30 meatballs)

Ingredients

• 2 - 28-oz cans whole peeled tomatoes

• 7 Tbsp olive oil

• 7 garlic cloves(4 thinly-sliced, 3 minced)

• Kosher salt

• 1 C fresh basil, finely chopped

• 1 C fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

• 1 1/2 C ricotta cheese, preferably full fat

• 1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

• 2 lb lean ground beef (or 1 lb. ground beef + 1 lb. ground lamb)

Directions

Sauce:

1. Pour both cans of tomatoes into a large bowl. Carefully crush the tomatoes with your hands or large wooden spoon until no large chunks remain.

2. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add 3 Tbsp. olive oil. Once olive oil starts to shimmer, add the 4 thinly-sliced garlic cloves and let sizzle for one minute.

3. Add tomatoes and a hefty pinch of salt and let the mixture come to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add any other favorites, such as a parmesan rind or additional basil, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meatballs:

1. Preheat oven to 425. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and rub with 2 Tbsp. olive oil.

2. In a large bowl, combine the 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 Tbsp. salt, basil, parsley, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and ground beef. Toss quickly with your hands until ingredients are well mixed.

3. Form mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs and place on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle meatballs with the remaining 2 Tbsp. of olive oil.

4. Roast meatballs in the center of the oven for 25 minutes, or until they are cooked through.

5. Transfer meatballs into sauce using a slotted spoon or metal spatula and simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Serve in bowls with plenty of sauce, grated parmesan, and fresh basil, if you'd like.