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Polpette di ricotta are typical of Calabrian cuisine, a land rich in land intended for sheep farming, where it is still very easy to find excellent fresh local ricotta both from cows and sheep. This second course, which involves the use of ricotta instead of meat, in fact derives from traditional peasant cuisine, made of very simple ingredients but of great flavor and genuineness. Dipped in tomato sauce, they will be even softer and tastier! Appetizing and nutritious, ricotta meatballs with sauce are perfect for a vegetarian menu but can also be transformed into a gluten-free recipe if you use suitable breadcrumbs.
Tasty and light, this version of ricotta meatballs evokes an ancient Calabrian recipe that brings to the table the simplicity and flavors of a land rich in dairy products.
The recipe for meatballs is really excellent for those who love light but at the same time tasty cuisine, and it is also perfect for those who follow a vegetarian diet. The basil-scented sauce makes them soft and even more inviting.
If you prefer, you can replace the cowโs ricotta with sheepโs ricotta, or add Pecorino instead of the Parmigiano to give an even more decisive flavor to the dish.
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Polpette di ricotta
Description
Ricotta meatballs with tomato sauce are a very simple recipe with a truly noteworthy result. This I propose is the basic version for preparing Ricotta Meatballs, but if you want you can enrich them with blanched and minced spinach or even minced ham, I find they are already very good, in their simplicity. Delicate but very tasty, they are a nice alternative to the classic meatballs with sauce. Also in this case you can use the tomato sauce to season the pasta and serve the ricotta meatballs as a second course. You just have to try them and let me know if you liked them!
Ingredients
To make the tomato sauce:
To make the "meatballs":
Instructions
First, place the ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve, over a bowl, to drain the whey. Let it rest like this, covered and in the fridge, for at least 30 minutes.
Then put the crumbled bread or breadcrumbs, the ricotta, the grated Parmigiano, the egg, the salt, the pepper and the basil in a bowl.Mix the ingredients well with a fork. With wet hands or gloves, form the meatballs, gradually laying out on a plate.
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To make the tomato sauce:
Brown the garlic in a pan with a little oil, then add the tomato sauce, basil leaves and salt.
Bring to the boil, reduce for 5-10 minutes, then add the meatballs.
Cook for about ten minutes on a low heat, covering them from time to time with a little sauce.
Serve hot with toasted bread.
Note
You should consume the meatballs with ricotta within the day you make them since you are using fresh dairy products.ย
