Beef Meatballs - The Meatball Shop

I love a really good Italian meatball, but I haven't been able to replicate the same taste/texture at home - until now.  I have finally found a great meatball recipe courtesy of The New York Daily News.  They wrote an article about The Meatball Shop in NYC, and, much to my pleasure, they included several recipes.  I was SO excited to try them out.  I decided to go the traditional route and make the beef meatballs first.

Wow!! These meatballs were amazing!  They were very moist and flavorful.  I really liked the creaminess that the ricotta added.  I think that is the missing ingredient to my previous meatball attempts.  The meatballs were as good (if not better) reheated the next day for lunch.  We both really liked this dish and thought it was just as good as anything we have eaten in an Italian restaurant.  I wish I knew about The Meatball Shop when we were in NYC this Fall - we will have to check it out next time!

The Meatball Shop - Beef Meatballs
24 meatballs
NY Daily News
(Printable Recipe)

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2 pounds 80% lean beef, ground
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon chili flakes
½ teaspoon fennel seed, ground
½ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon oregano, chopped
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
2 eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 450.

Combine all of the ingredients except for the olive oil in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.

Drizzle the olive oil into a large baking dish (9 x 12), making sure to evenly coat the entire surface (use your hand to help spread the oil).

Roll the mixture into round, golf ball-size meatballs, making sure to pack the meat firmly. (I used the large pampered chef scoop)

Place balls into the oiled baking dish so that all are lined up evenly in rows and are touching each of their neighbors in a grid.

Roast until firm and cooked through (about 20 minutes).