Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs with Tomato Sauce
I prepared these meatballs over the weekend, but I wanted them to be a bit more special, so I made them with a "surprise" in the middle... a cube of mozzarella. And they turned out really delicious!
Ingredients
Meatballs
500g ground pork
1 egg
3 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
1/2 bunch chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 heaping teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
100g mozzarella
oil for frying
Tomato Sauce
3 large ripe tomatoes
3 garlic cloves
1 small onion
6 basil leaves
salt, pepper, dried oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
Yield: approx. 30 medium meatballs
How to prepare mozzarella-stuffed meatballs with tomato sauce
- In a large bowl, I put all the meatball ingredients except the mozzarella. I kneaded the mixture with my hands until it was well combined.
- I cut the mozzarella into 1 cm cubes.
- With hands always wet, I shaped balls from the meatball mixture, inserting a piece of mozzarella in the center of each.
- In a pan, I heated oil about two fingers deep and fried the meatballs. While frying, keep the heat on medium to low, otherwise they will burn on the outside and remain uncooked inside. Turn them in the pan to cook on all sides. Remove them when golden onto paper towels to absorb the grease.
- Tomato sauce: I blanched the tomatoes and peeled them. I chopped the onion and garlic.
- In a pan, I sautéed the onion with garlic in 1 tablespoon of oil. When softened, I added the tomatoes blended in a blender (or finely chopped with a knife). I added salt, pepper, and a little oregano. I let them simmer for about 10 minutes. At the end, I added the basil leaves and left on heat for 1 more minute.
- I served the meatballs with tomato sauce and pasta (tagliatelle).
Meatball mixture
Shaping meatballs with mozzarella in the center
Frying meatballs in hot oil
Mozzarella meatballs
Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs with Tomato Sauce
Meatballs from Simona
