Pastured Beef Meatballs in Tomato Sauce Roasted Potatoes Ingredients: Ground beef Potatoes Tomatoes (canned) Ricotta
Onion Garlic Egg
(For best results, read recipe fully before beginning.) 1) Prepare the ingredients: - Wash and dry the potatoes. - Trim the root and stem end from the onion. Half lengthwise, then small dice. - With the side of your knife, smash the garlic clove. Peel and discard the papery skin. Finely chop the garlic. - Halve the potatoes lengthwise. - Heat the oven to 425 degrees. 2) Roast the potatoes: - Arrange the potatoes on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast until golden brown and tender throughout, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. 3) Make and roast the meatballs: - While the potatoes cook, combine the ground beef with the ricotta, egg, salt (if using kosher salt, I recommend 1.5 teaspoons) and pepper and mix thoroughly to combine. - Form into balls (about golf ball size, or bigger if you’d like). Arrange on a sheet pan and transfer to the oven. Roast for 8 minutes (they should be browned but not cooked all the way through). 4) Start the tomato sauce: - While the meatballs cook, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a sauce pan on medium until hot. Add diced onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent (but not browned), about 5 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Add 1/2 cup warm water and canned tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon or tongs. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the simmer and cook, stirring regularly to keep from burning on the bottom, for 5 minutes, until thickened slightly. Remove from heat until ready to add the meatballs. - Add the roasted meatballs to the tomato sauce and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, to finish cooking the meatballs and to flavor the sauce. Add a drizzle of olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. 5) Finish the dish: - Divide the roasted potatoes between 2 bowls. Top with the meatballs and tomato sauce. Enjoy!