Baked Sausage and Ricotta Meatballs

The baked sausage and ricotta meatball recipe that I’m sharing with you today is a dish you’re going to love; with a touch of Italy, where they’re said to make the juiciest meatballs in the world. The cheese they contain, both in the meat and in the sauce, is undoubtedly responsible for this, and it turns them into such a tasty bite that kids and adults alike will want seconds.

A surefire hit with both kids and adults is meatballs with sauce. Among the little ones at home it may be because of their round shape, which they might find curious; although it’s most likely because they’re always so delicious. Among adults, especially those who cook them, they’re a winner because we can have them ready in advance and serve them whenever we want—they’ll be even tastier than freshly made.

Despite having a name with clear Arabic roots, al-bunduqa (in Spanish, the ball), the origin of meatballs is somewhat uncertain. It seems that it was the Arabs who taught the Spaniards living in Andalusia how to make them. And although it’s not known who shaped the first meatball, it is known that upper-class Romans made them a staple of their kitchens, becoming wildly popular in the streets.

Today, we’ll bake them in the oven, with the skillet pan, in which we’ll also make the sauce and which will be ideal for giving them the finishing touch. This way they’ll be healthier, and we’ll achieve that melty point from all the cheeses which, once combined, will give you unbeatable juiciness in every bite.

Get the bowl and your clean hands ready—let’s get to the recipe!

Le Creuset Skillet

Ingredients

For the sausage and ricotta meatballs

• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 500 g ground Italian pork sausage*
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

*Italian pork sausage is a minced pork and spice sausage widely used in the USA. You can substitute it with its equivalent, chorizo criollo, or with the sausages you usually use.

For the basil tomato sauce

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes*
• 500 g crushed Italian tomatoes (or another sauce variety)
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 225 g shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

*You can use sweet red pepper flakes, paprika flakes, or chili flakes if you want to add some heat to the dish.

Method

For the meatballs

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
2. Add the breadcrumbs to a food processor with a metal blade and pulse until finely ground.
3. Put the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Add the ricotta, Parmesan, egg, parsley, fennel, oregano, and pepper, and stir to combine well. Add the ground meat and gently mix again until everything is well incorporated.
4. With your hands or using meatball and croquette tongs, form balls about 5 cm in size with the meat. As you finish them, place the meatballs in the Le Creuset Skillet 26 cm.
5. Bake for about 20 min, until cooked through.
6. Remove the pan from the oven, set the meatballs aside on a plate, and let the skillet cool for about 5 minutes. Keep the oven on, as we need it hot to finish cooking the recipe.

For the sauce

1. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Lower the heat and add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook until you smell the aroma of the garlic (the point where it has a slight nutty flavor), without browning it, about 1 minute.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes to the skillet and stir well. Cook the sauce over medium-low heat until it reduces slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped basil and sugar and stir. Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add the meatballs back to the skillet and gently stir to coat them with the sauce.
5. Sprinkle the meatballs with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and place the skillet in the preheated oven.
6. Bake until the cheese melts and bubbles, about 10 minutes.
7. Serve with a good loaf of bread. Enjoy!

Notes

• Italian sausage (or chorizo criollo) in the meatballs gives the dish a somewhat stronger flavor than regular pork sausages would, which is important to keep in mind if the little ones at home will be eating them.
• The same applies if the red pepper flakes you add are somewhat (or very) spicy. Use your favorites for the sauce—you’ll be spot on!
• Remember that the skillet pan is pure iron, which means that when heated on the stove, and especially in the oven, it will retain a lot of heat. Therefore, to pick it up, it’s ideal to use the protective handle cover and to hold the side handle with a pot holder or an oven mitt, to avoid burns.