Meatballs Stuffed with Mozzarella Makes about 45 Meatballs
Meatballs Stuffed with Mozzarella is about more than a recipe. It is about family! Sunday, for me growing up, was the best day of the week. First thing in the morning, I would wake up to the smell of sauce and meatballs frying. My siblings and I would fight for the meatballs right out of the fryer as my mom rushed to put them in her sauce. My grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins would come out to Long Island from Brooklyn. That was the best. We would have an amazing Sunday dinner. We all sat around the table and ate for hours, usually starting with some antipasti around 3:00 pm, followed by pasta, then the meatballs and the salad. For some reason, the salad always came at the end. Don’t ask me why, but it did. During those hours around the table we all talked and got to know each other better. We would discuss our week, and the cousins played games. I loved it. This is the true meaning of family for me, getting together and eating and enjoying each other and amazing food.
The mozzarella stuffing in these meatballs is my twist on an old family recipe. I put a small piece of mozzarella in the middle of each meatball, and push the meat around it to form a ball. After frying, they ooze mozzarella when you cut into them. They are a favorite with my family now.
Ingredients
Makes about 45
Marinara (Tomato) Sauce (See Recipe Below)
2 Pounds Ground Pork
⅔ Pound Ground Beef
1¼ Cups Breadcrumbs
1¼ Cups Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
3 Teaspoons Salt
1 ½ tsp. Pepper
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
2 Tablespoons Parsley, Chopped
3 Eggs, Beaten
½ Pound Low-Moisture Mozzarella, Cut into ¼” Cubes
Oil for Frying. I use olive oil.
Method
First, make the marinara sauce and leave it simmering on the stove on a low flame.
Then make the meatballs.
Heat the oil in a fryer or large frying pan. Heat the oil to 350° F.
In a bowl, combine the meat, grated cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley and eggs.
In a separate bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, mix with 1¾ cups of the tomato sauce and add to the meat mixture.
Take about 2 tablespoons of meat mixture in your hands and roll into a ball.
Flatten the ball and place mozzarella in the middle.
Gently push the meat around the top of the mozzarella and reform the ball with the mozzarella in the middle.
Fry the meatballs until cooked through (about 5 minutes).
You might need to change the oil if it gets too dark and dirty.
Once the balls are cooked, take them out of the fryer and drain on a piece of paper towel. This will help absorb excess oil.
Let the meatballs cool.
Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Serve.
**Recipe Note: This recipe yields about 45 meatballs, which is a lot. There is plenty of tomato sauce for the meatballs, as well 2 pounds of pasta of your choice. Any leftovers can be frozen.
Basic Marinara (Tomato) Sauce Makes about 10 Cups of Sauce
½ Cup Olive Oil
12 Garlic Cloves
¼ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
4 Cans (28 Ounce) WholeTomatoes
15 Basil Leaves
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Pecorino Romano End (Optional)
Put the olive oil in a sauce pot with the garlic and red pepper flakes. Slowly sauté on a low flame until the garlic is fork tender.
Purée three cans of tomatoes. I put one can at a time in the blender and pulse about 15 times. The fourth can I put in a bowl and crush by hand.
Raise the heat to medium and add the tomatoes immediately.
Bring to a simmer (about 10 minutes) and reduce the heat to low.
Season with salt and peppers.
Then add in the basil. I like to use my hands to tear the leaves up as I put them in the sauce.
Next add in the Pecorino cheese end and simmer for about 15 minutes more.
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or you can freeze and save for a later date.