I was a judge on Top Chef Masters one year, and one of my favorite dishes was a stuffed meatball. I borrowed that idea for these meatballs, which are stuffed with burrata ( cream - filled mozzarella). I use a combination of beef, veal, and pork. It’s a traditional Italian way. I use leftover meatballs to make sandwiches.
CHEF TIP: I have a little miniature food processor that I use exclusively for mincing garlic when I need more than just one or two cloves such as for this recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground veal
1/2 red onion, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
8 ounces Burrata
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix together the pork, beef, veal, red onion, garlic, oregano, salt, smoked paprika, basil, and pepper, massaging the mixture with your hands to incorporate the ingredients without smashing the meat too much. Put the breadcrumbs on a plate. To shape the meatballs, take 2 ½ ounces of the meat and gently form a patty. Scoop a scant teaspoon of burrata into the center, fold up the edges, and gently roll the meat into a ball. Roll the balls in the breadcrumbs and put them on a baking sheet. For perfectly round meatballs, put the meatballs in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to overnight to chill, chilling helps them hold their shape when cooked.
2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large saute pan with a lid. Gently tap the excess breadcrumbs from the meatballs, put the meatballs in the oil, and brown them on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Cover the pan, turn toff the heat, and let the meatballs cook all the way through from the residual heat in the pan, about 8 minutes. Serve immediately.