Tired of serving the same old dishes for dinner? Mix up your routine with these gourmet meatballs from Chef Fabio Viviani! Check out the recipe below.

Pair With: Fabio Viviani Wine Collection Cabernet

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground beef

  • 4 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese

  • 1 cup Grana Padano cheese, grated

  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

  • 1 egg

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 shallots, minced

  • 1 tbsp. Bertolli olive oil

  • Salt and pepper

  • 2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce

  • Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

  • Bertolli Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Directions:

  • Place all ingredients except the tomato sauce, the parsley, and the extra-virgin olive oil in a medium-size bowl and mix thoroughly by hand until they are completely combined and the mixture is uniformly firm

  • Coat your hands in olive oil, and form balls slightly bigger than a golf ball

  • Heat the tomato sauce in a saucepan over medium heat, then drop the meatballs into the sauce and add enough water to allow the sauce to reduce and simmer but not so much that the sauce is totally liquid

  • Cook for about 10 minutes on one side, then turn the meatballs over, add some more water, and cook for another 10 minutes, using a spoon to cover the meatballs with the sauce as they simmer

  • Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes

  • Serve with chopped parsley, salt and pepper, more Grana Padano, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, of course!

  • TIP: Don’t waste expensive cuts of meat on meatballs! If prepared correctly, a cheaper cut of meat like beef shoulder/chuck, or even scraps will work perfectly