Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs

Prep Time: 15 minutes                       Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes
Yield: 30-35 meatballs – 5 or 6 servings

Ingredients:

1/3 cup  (85 mL) heavy cream or whole milk
1/3 cup (85 mL) panko bread bread crumbs

1 small onion, fine dice
1 clove of garlic, minced

1 large egg
1 tablespoon (15 mL) Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon (15 mL) Worcestershire Sauce
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) dried thyme, or 1 tablespoon (15 mL) Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon (5 mL) Kosher salt
1 teaspoon (5 mL) freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

12 ounces – ¾ pound (350 g) lean ground sirloin
12 ounces – ¾ pound (350 g) lean ground pork

4 ounces (130 g) provolone cheese, cut into ½ inch cubes

Olive oil for sautéing

Marinara Sauce  Marinara Sauce ^[1]

Your favourite pasta

Garnish:  Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese and chopped parsley

Method:

1. In a large bowl, combine the cream/milk and the panko crumbs. Stir together and set aside while other ingredients are prepared.
2. Heat some olive oil and/or butter in a saute pan over medium-low heat.  Saute onions just until they are translucent and fragrant. Stir in minced garlic. Alternatively, the onion and garlic (uncooked) can be grated and added to the ground meat.
3. To the soaked panko crumbs, add the egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, and Parmesan cheese. Stir in the onions and garlic.  Mix well.
4. Gently mix in the ground sirloin and ground pork just until all ingredients are incorporated. Do not over-mix, as this will make the meatballs tough.
5. Using about 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons (30-45 mL) of meat, form a ball. Press a cube of cheese into the ball and fully enclose it within the ball.
6. Heat some olive oil in a large sauté pan. Saute the meatballs, a few at a time, for about 8-10 minutes, until nicely browned all over. Place the browned meatballs into the simmering marinara sauce – they will complete cooking in the sauce (reaching an internal temperature of at least 160^oF).  If any cheese seeps out, the sauce will catch it.
7. Continue until all meatballs have been sautéed and placed in the sauce, and have reached the correct temperature.
8. Serve over your favourite pasta, topped with freshly grated Parmegiano-Reggiano Cheese.

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