4 bocconcini (mini mozzarella balls), look for ones that are about the size of a cherry tomato. If t
2 tablespoons EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus additional for drizzling, divided
1 28-ounce cans San Marzano plum tomatoes
1/2 cup homemade or store-bought basil pesto (eyeball it)
Zest of 1 lemon, if using store-bought pesto
A loaf of crusty bread
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425ºF.
Place the torn bread in a small bowl with the milk (make sure all
the bread is submerged) and reserve.
In a large bowl, combine the ground meats, garlic, parsley, grated
Parmigiano, allspice, egg, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Squeeze out the excess milk from the soaking bread (it should be
loose and in small pieces) and add it to the meat mixture. Mix
everything with your hands to combine.
Divide the meatball mixture in half, and score each half into
eight sections with the back of your hand. Take one of the
portions of the meatball mix and slightly flatten it out in your
hand. Place a cherry tomato in the center and evenly wrap the
meat around the tomato, completely encasing it in the meat.
Transfer the stuffed meatball to a baking sheet, using one half of
the baking sheet for the tomato ones and the other for the
bocconcini ones so you can keep track of which is stuffed with
what. Repeat the processes until the rest of the tomatoes and
bocconcini have all been rolled in a portion of the meatball
mixture. Drizzle the stuffed meatballs with some EVOO, transfer
to the oven and roast 15-18 minutes, until golden brown and
firm to the touch.
While the meatballs are cooking, place a saucepot over medium-
high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons.
Add the canned tomatoes and break them up with a potato
masher or the back of a wooden spoon. Add a little salt and
pepper, bring up to a bubble and simmer while the meatballs are
cooking.
Once the meatballs are ready, remove the sauce from the heat
and stir in the pesto. If you are using store-bought pesto, add
in the lemon zest. Transfer all of the sauce into a serving dish
and nestle all of the meatballs into the sauce, keeping the cherry
tomato-stuffed ones on one side and the bocconcini-stuffed
ones on the other. Serve with some sliced crusty bread
alongside.
Originally Submitted
8/6/2010
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