Calabrian Ricotta Balls in Tomato Sauce with Pasta

• portions: 4 servings
• temps actif: 20 minutes
• temps total: 1 hour

Ingrédients

500 g ricotta (1lb cow or sheep milk ricotta)

150 g breadcrumbs (5-6oz or 4 thick slices of stale bread)

30 g Parmigiano Reggiano (1oz for vegetarians use vegetarian parmesan)

30 g Pecorino cheese (1oz or use 60g, 2oz of only one cheese if you don't have both or are vegetarian)

2 eggs (beaten)

1-2 garlic cloves (peeled and finely chopped)

1 handful fresh parsley (finely chopped)

600 g tomato passata or canned tomatoes

2 garlic cloves (peeled)

salt (for pasta and to taste)

freshly ground black pepper. (to taste)

400 g short mafaldine/mafalde pasta (14oz or fusilli, penne, paccheri)

Instructions

Make the ricotta balls

If using stale bread slices remove the crusts and blend in a food processor to make breadcrumbs. Drain the ricotta well and then put it in a bowl and mash with a fork. Add the grated cheese and the breadcrumbs. Mix well. Add the eggs, garlic and chopped parsley mix again until you have a soft homogeneous dough. If it seems dry add a little milk. If it seems too wet, add more breadcrumbs. Form the dough into balls. The size depends on preference. Ours were about the size of a golf ball.

Make the tomato sauce

Cook the garlic cloves in olive oil until they start to soften. Add the halved cherry tomatoes (if using). Turn down the heat and simmer until they are soft too. Add the passata or canned tomatoes and continue simmering for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the pasta

While the sauce is simmering put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again. Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet. When the pasta is ready drain it and put it back into the pot. Add some tomato sauce to the pasta and mix well.

Finish the dish

While the pasta is cooking add the ricotta balls to the tomato sauce. After 5 minutes turn them gently and continue for another 5-10 minutes. Plate the cooked pasta that you have mixed with some tomato sauce. Put 2-3 ricotta balls onto the pasta with some more tomato sauce.

Serve immediately with more grated cheese if required.

Nutrition

• Calories: 887 kcal
• Lipides Totaux: 26 g
• Lipides Saturés: 14 g
• Lipides Insaturés: 9 g
• Acides Gras Trans: 0.01 g
• Cholestérol: 158 mg
• Sodium: 670 mg
• Glucides Totaux: 120 g
• Fibres Diététiques: 8 g
• Sucres Totaux: 13 g
• Protéines: 43 g