Food & Drink

Mary's Meatballs

Meatballs are a great family batch recipe. They’re easy to throw together, hearty and delicious and perfect for winter!

For me, sharing recipes is the gift that keeps giving. Some of my favourite recipes have been passed down through the family or taught to me by friends. Recipes are like a blueprint of love, you start with a list of instructions, and over time you add, you remove, you change and soon that recipe takes on a body of its own with your unique personal touch. These meatballs are no different.  When I first tried Mary’s meatballs it was love at first taste. Now, I’m paying it forward and sharing the love with my own rendition of Mary’s Meatballs. Read on for some of the best looking meatballs you ever did meet!
- Rey

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These meatballs are stuffed with ricotta, eggs, fresh herbs and parmesan and are bathed in a rich tomato sauce. This recipe calls for chicken mince instead of the usual beef or pork mince, however you can just as easily substitute any mince and the recipe will still taste as good. If you do opt for chicken, mince breast will give you a lighter, cleaner taste and ground chicken thigh will give you a richer, more “melt-in-your-mouth” flavour.
My meat has been sourced from Craig Cook the Natural Butcher. They are incredibly accommodating here, so don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations or advice!
 
With a 5cm diameter, Mary’s meatballs are oversize so they can stay moist and tender after cooking for a long period of time. The addition of ricotta means that these meatballs literally fall apart in your mouth.
 
Serve them over a bed of spaghetti or rice, pair them with a fresh salad or stuff them into a roll  for a hearty sandwich. 

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Meatball Ingredients
500g chicken mince (I like using the thigh, but the breast works well too!) Craig Cook the Natural Butcher)
1 cup of finely chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs
1 cup of grated parmesan or pecorino
1 cup of bread crumbs (you can blitz bread that’s been left out for a day or two or panko breadcrumbs)
3/4 cup of fresh ricotta (LoSurdos)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pinches of salt 
1 pinch of pepper
 
Sauce Ingredients
1 onion
700g of Passata tomato puree (I love Mutti)
1 can of diced tomatoes (400g)
1 cup Beef Bone Broth (Craig Cook the Natural Butcher, I like Bone Roasters stock)
Salt 
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

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Process

1. First lay out all your ingredients.

2. Now prepare your meatballs. In a large mixing bowl, add parsley, garlic, mince, breadcrumbs, parmesan, ricotta, eggs, salt and pepper. Mix well together using your hands. Pat into a large ball before starting to roll your meatballs.

3. Roll your mince into large 5cm balls. Use water on hands to make it less sticky if needed. This recipe will make about 15 large meatballs.

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4. Now prepare your sauce, in a large Dutch pot, sauté one diced onion with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. After about 10 minutes when the onions are translucent, season with salt. Add your Passata and diced tomatoes. Add beef stock and about half a cup of water. Put lid on pot and bring sauce to a boil.

5. When sauce is bubbling slightly reduce your heat to medium low and plop in your meatballs, shake the pot around so they are fully covered in sauce. Leave to cook with lid on for about 25 minutes then remove the lid for another 10 minutes and cook uncovered. Shake the pot every 10 minutes or so to ensure the meatballs haven’t stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cut open one meatball to ensure it is cooked all the way through.

6. After about 35 minutes remove from heat and serve with a generous shaving of parmesan.

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