Who Needs Spaghetti When You Have These Ricotta & Sage Fried Meatballs?

You can make these for that great tasting pasta with that famous sauce that everyone loves as a topper. Or simply serve by themselves as a small snack for the kiddies. They will for sure be loved.

Ingredients To Gather:

1/3 cup whole-milk ricotta

2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus more for frying

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons fennel seeds, toasted, lightly crushed

1 1/4 teaspoons dried sage

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces ground pork

24 fresh sage leaves

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 large egg, beaten to blend

2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Marinara sauce, warmed (optional)

The Directions To Follow:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix the ricotta cheese and 2 tablespoons oil until smooth. Mix in the garlic and the next 5 items, then add the pork and blend til just combined.

Scoop out tablespoonful of mixture. Roll between hands into 1 inch balls and place on baking sheet. Wrap a sage leaf around each ball. press to adhere to sheet.

Put egg, flour and panko into med bowls. One at a time place one meatball in the flour, making sure to get excess flour off the ball. Then dip into the egg, allowing excess egg to drip off then dip into panko, pressing to coat thoroughly, then return to backing sheet.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Bake meatballs in batches for about 15 minutes. Serve or y0u can keep them warm in the oven up to 45 minutes.

Finished!

This is a great idea for a cocktail party or any type of gathering where there is a lot of people. Also very cost efficient. And they will love you for the added flavor instead of the same ole regular meatballs.

Source: Bon Appetit