Cheese stuffed meatballs recipe with mortadella
Indulgent meatballs recipe stewed in a sweet tomato sauce and stuffed with smoked scamorza cheese and mortadella salami. This recipe is the most loved dish by kids and adults, perfect for a delicious weeknight meal! Make sure to have plenty of bread to dip into the sauce!
Servings: 13 meatballs
Calories: 196kcal
Equipment
- 1 Chopping board
- 1 Chopping Knife
- 1 Medium Bowl
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Medium non-stick frying pan
- 1 Fork and spoon
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 90 gr fresh crumbs no bread crust
- 240 gr cold whole milk
- 500 gr ground beef 12% of fat
- ½ teaspoon maldon salt
- 1 pinch ground black peppercorn
- 1 garlic clove chopped finely
- 20 gr grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 20 gr Italian flat parsley chopped leaves
- 1 whole unwaxed lemon zest grated
- 1 medium egg room temperature
- 66 gr smoked scamorza cheese
- 30 gr mortadella salami
- 30 gr plain flour
Tomato sauce
- 60 gr onion chopped finely
- 2 ½ tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 400 gr Italian Cherry Tomatoes tinned
- 140 gr Italian passata
- ½ teaspoon maldon salt
Instructions
Meatballs
- Divide the crumbs into pieces and place them into a medium bowl. Pour the milk over let it absorb for 5 minutes. Stir with a spoon every now and then.
- Add the ground mince beef, chopped garlic, salt, ground black peppercorn, chopped parsley, grated lemon zest, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and the egg into a medium bowl. Set it aside.
- Do not waste the milk, I suggest you wash your hand with water and soap before squeezing the crumbs. This way, it can be stored back in the fridge for the next use. Squeez slightly the crumbs to remove excess of the milk.
- Add the squeezed crumbs into the beef and mix all until well combined. Form 13 balls of 60 gr weight each by rolling it into your hands. Set them aside into a tray.
- Cut the mortadella and the scamorza cheese into 13 cubes on a chopping board. Press the center of each meatball with your finger creating a hole. Place inside a piece of smoked scamorza cheese and a piece of mortadella salami.
- Fold the sides of the cheese-stuffed meatballs using your finger. Then, shape the meatballs into some balls with your hands. Coat each meatball with the flour and place it in a tray. Set it aside.
Sauté and tomato sauce
- Add the olive oil and the chopped onion into a medium frying pan and sauté for 13 minutes on medium heat until golden.
- Add very carefully the meatballs and let them brown properly on medium heat for 6 minutes. Turn each meatball to the other side with the help of a fork and spoon, and let them brown well for 4 minutes. You want the meatballs to have a brown crust, this means more flavor to the dish.
- Pour the cherry tomatoes, the passata, and the salt into the frying pan. Let it cook for 15 minutes on medium heat. Make sure to stir the sauce and turn the meatballs every now and then. Serve immediately with plenty of bread.
Notes
Is it better to bake or fry meatballs?
I wouldn't suggest baking the meatballs in the oven as they may turn dry and you will lose all the juice of the meat. On the other hand, frying or browning it will make sure that you have all the juices of the ingredients are mixing in the same pan creating a better flavor. Furthermore, Italians cook their stewed meatballs in tomato sauce as suggested in this recipe.
Can I make it in advance?
Yes, of course. You can easily shape and stuff them the day before and store them in a tray or on a plate covered with some cling film in the fridge. The next day shape them again into balls and carry on with the recipe.
How to store the leftover?
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Otherwise, freeze the meatballs in a container with a lid. When needed defrost it for 12 hours in the fridge and then warm it up in a frying pan adding some water.
Cheese stuffed meatballs recipe with mortadella, Italian meatballs
