Ricotta Meatballs with Mushrooms

Here’s the recipe for delicious ricotta and mushroom meatballs:

Ingredients

• 250 g of ricotta
• 150 g of porcini mushrooms or champignons
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 egg
• 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• Breadcrumbs as needed
• Chopped parsley, as needed
• Salt and pepper, as needed
• Olive oil, for frying or for baking

Preparation

1. Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth or a brush. If necessary, you can quickly rinse them under running water, but try to do so as little as possible to avoid making them watery.
2. Finely chop the mushrooms together with the garlic and parsley.
3. In a frying pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the garlic, then add the mushrooms and cook until they have lost all their water and are nicely browned. Season with salt and pepper and let cool.
4. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and cooled mushrooms. Mix all the ingredients well until you get a homogeneous mixture.
5. Gradually add the breadcrumbs until the mixture is firm enough to form meatballs.
6. Shape the meatballs the size of a walnut and roll them again in breadcrumbs.
7. You can choose to cook the meatballs in two ways: fry them in hot oil until golden brown, or arrange them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for 20-25 minutes, until they are golden and crispy.

For a truly Italian touch, you might serve the meatballs with a slightly spicy tomato sauce or simply with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Trivia

The recipe for ricotta and mushroom meatballs is a versatile and light dish. Ricotta provides proteins and a delicate flavor that pairs perfectly with the intense taste of mushrooms. This dish can easily be turned into a vegetarian version by substituting the egg with a plant-based thickener, such as ground flaxseeds mixed with water.