part-time carnivore

Ricotta Lamb Meatballs with Gochujang Marinara

With all the information we’re bombarded with lately about eating well and sourcing responsibly raised/grown ingredients, I have been gravitating toward consuming less meat. I don’t think I’ll ever become a full-fledge vegetarian–I enjoy fresh fish and chicken too much. And this dairy girl could never forswear cheese in pursuit of veganism. But once in a while I do partake of red meat and my flesh of choice is lamb. I love its distinct flavor and the many ways it can be prepared. This is my new favorite version: delicate, savory meatballs, made with creamy ricotta and spices, which are baked then gently braised in a spicy tomato sauce with a distinctive kick. Light as air and a mouthful of flavor–if I’m going red, I could eat a dozen.

At a swanky restaurant in town recently, I enjoyed delectable lamb meatballs that were served in a delightfully spicy marinara. This recipe was inspired by that tasting, though I’m pretty sure their version was not made with ricotta. Adding that component to the ground meat is a revelation to me: the creaminess of the ricotta cuts through the gaminess of the lamb, and gives the meatballs an almost ethereal quality. Gochujang, my “it” ingredient, makes an encore appearance here, adding depth and a little heat to the marinara. Good news is this condiment has become so popular, it’s more readily available–I recently found it in the ethnic aisle of my local Whole Foods. Serve these zesty bites with their sumptuous sauce on their own or over creamy polenta. Make them a tiny bit smaller and they’d be wonderful hors d’oeuvres at your next cocktail party. Just exquisite.

First, make the tomato sauce. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add the smashed garlic cloves and cook for a minute or two until slightly golden. Add gochujang to the pan and cook, stirring for a minute or two, to bloom the flavor of the paste.

When you buy canned tomatoes, keep in mind that whole tomatoes are the least processed. I like to purée them myself for about 10 seconds in a blender, so I can control the texture. Add blended tomatoes to the hot pan and lower heat slightly.

Stir in tomato purée, or passata (love this version from Mutti), which has a velvety texture and sweet flavor. It also lends nice body to the sauce. Season with a pinch of sugar to balance the sweetness, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and adjust heat to maintain a simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper. Use the freshest ricotta you can buy–homemade would be great. If the cheese is too wet, drain in a colander. In a medium bowl, combine ground lamb, ricotta, panko crumbs, egg, grated red onion, pressed garlic, minced cilantro and mint, cumin, coriander, paprika, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Gently mix the ingredients together without overworking the lamb. Dampen your hands and roll out meatballs about the size of ping pong balls, or smaller if you’re making them for bite-size hors d’oeuvres. Lay out on the lined baking sheet.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes (10 minutes if they’re bite-size), turning the pan once midway. Remove pan from oven and use tongs to add meatballs to the sauce. Gently braise for another 10 to 15 minutes, turning meatballs in the marinara, until just cooked through.

Plate meatballs and top with marinara sauce. Garnish with julienned mint. If serving as an hors d’oeuvre, have toothpicks handy for the taking and a small bowl of sauce for dipping.

Yields 20 Ping Pong Size Meatballs; 30 Bite Size Meatballs:

Gochujang Marinara:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1/4 cup gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
1 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes, blended
1 14 ounce jar of passata (Italian tomato purée)
pinch of sugar, to taste
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ricotta Lamb Meatballs:

1 1/4 pound ground lamb
1/2 cup ricotta
1/4 cup panko crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated red onion
1 large garlic clove, pressed
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
2 tablespoons mint, minced, plus julienned mint for garnish
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
2 teaspoons paprika
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

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