As I said in the video, I often change up my sauce. It keeps things interesting in the kitchen and I encourage you to experiment often as well. Ricotta makes a very tender meatball and I recommend adding it to your meatballs. I'm pretty sure you will love it. The print recipe and ingredients are linked in the description. As always, thanks so much for liking and sharing our videos!
Can I recommend a video where you make polpette like my family does? Here at least in Australia, my Italian family, we make pork polpette with soaked bread, parmigiano, parlsey, an egg, salt and pepper and mix well. And we cook it by adding them raw to the sunday sauce. You add them 35 mins before the sauce is done (out of a 2 hr slow simmer). Give it a go. I promise you, you'll never taste a more tender meatballs by skipping the browning process.
I LOVE SCALFANI GROUND CRUSJED TOMATOES! Been using them.over 20 years and there always the same Perfect fresh tomato 🍅 great consistency Cooks great and I put it directly on my pizza The price got nuts but on Amazon Prime I order a dozen per box at a time for 30. That's OK in stores I've seen it for 3 That's Nuts I live in Brooklyn NYC were there sold all over If someone can't get them.order them It says Jersey Fresh but they're not grown in Jersey the seasons too short they use Jetsey Seed type tomatoes I'd imagine Anyway thete great you can.make a quick simple sauce while bringing water to boil n cooking up.some spaghetti or whatever shape and it's perfect Or use it in more elaborate ways I know I always have 2 quarts of simple marinara tomato sauce to.use in countless ways SCALFANI IS GREAT So is Pastene n Cento Thete used to be DeNoila Pope Progresso made great tomatoes Now there a load of crazy soups The had a great little Capanata I loved TRY SCALFANI!
Kids love what they're used to...there's no way you could have topped your original meatball recipe in his eyes! lol. So sweet. Those meatballs look and sound amazing! I'll definitely try it with ricotta!
"take a breath" "chew, chew" - your relationship with your son is great - and hilarious. and he's a typical teenager. not sure if you can see it, but he's proud of his dad. and your producer / camera man wife chimes in - "james, what could dad have have done to make it a ten ?" - "um, i dont know mum, maybe up my allowance". just hilarious. what a great channel. god bless you all.
Ciao ! The same can be said with "Spaghetti alla Bolognese." The favorite dish of almost every child, in school canteen all over the world. Not only by us in Italy ! 😊
🍝I have made many of your recipes and they are always delicious! I have to say the best part of your channel is how you light up when James comes in the kitchen, what a great dad you are! And momma behind the camera! Super nice family! My family sends love to your family we live in New York! ❤️🇮🇹😘💯%🇮🇹❤️🇮🇹❤️
Some of the BEST and most Practical GOURMET instructional recipes to be found ANYWHERE on the Internet. I simply have NEVER EVER seen one of your videos that DID NOT DELIVER! EVER! Your videos are TRULY INSTRUCTIONAL!!!! I have not followed your video instruction and had a BAD result. Your Videos are SO SO SO informative!!! Julia Child would be PROUD of your efforts. A Great Family, great concept, involving your family-----it is just BEAUTIFUL!!!! TY for your efforts and recipes. You are a GREAT SECRET. I cannot express in words how GREAT it is what you do. KEEP EM COMING!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!! Your channel is as important as any cooking show I have EVER seen in my 64 years. TRUTH!
Like the idea of adding ricotta to the meatballs. I do that with meat filling for cannelloni. Adding an extra egg can also soften the meatballs. Great editing.
I love putting anchovies in tomato sauce. I’ve told people that anchovies are the secret ingredient, and they’re always surprised that they add the richness and saltiness that makes the sauce good.
I have used ricotta before in meatballs! I love it! It adds a wonderful creamy, sweet flavor and adds depth. I grew up with meatloaf and meatballs always with the trio (when we could afford) beef, pork, and veal. No one ever uses it now and the people I speak to don't know about the veal for some reason. They were/are missing out! When I was growing up, my grandma did potted meatballs, so they were much softer (they were not in tomato sauce; more stew type sauce). My mom made more traditional meatballs as I mentioned and they were a bit denser than my grandma's. Personally I love either but I like them softer - easier to eat and juicier, more flavorful.
For meatballs: You should combine all ingredients except the meat; you can mix them thoroughly without risking toughening up the meat mix. Plus, you get even distribution of flavors when you add the meat. That’s how most professional kitchens do it. Thank you for your recipes & your dedication to Italian-American cuisine!
I prefer the slower paced videos. I enjoy watching you cook, relax and have fun in your kitchen. I still like this one too, just the slower pace is what I prefer.
The first channel I am watching (and I am watching many) that gives specific amount of salt plus explains it. You can't underestimate the importance of the right amount of salt in your meals! Well done, thumbs up!!!
Honestly I think you've got the best cooking channel on youtube!! The food is great and the instructions and explanations of fundmentals have really helped my cooking. Thanks!!
Love this channel! You translate great tasting food into easy to follow recipes. My family think I've suddenly developed a talent for Italian cooking 😂. Defo be doing this recipe! 👍 from the UK
Making this for our Friday night weekly family dinner...my kids, their kids, looks like another winner!! I always look forward to your videos! Thanks so much!!
Definitely gunna have to give this a go, it looks delicious Also on a side note. Love the new kitchen, it's light and airy and at the same time cosy and homely. Especially when looking straight through to the living room
I’m watching this again because it’s meatball day!!! I just want to say, YOU are the best thing that came out of the pandemic. I mean that genuinely. I always smile and feel good when I start your videos. Cheers and health to you and your lovely family 🙌🇨🇦🙏
Made this dish yesterday having leftovers today - best meatballs and sauce I’ve ever had!!! And that’s saying something from a fellow Sicilian ❤😁🌟🌟🌟 thank you James!!
Made this recipe tonight. Hands down the best spaghetti and meatballs I’ve ever made! Was blown away by the simplicity of the sauce and short cooking time yet it was literal perfection. This is now 2 for 2 of your recipes I’ve tried. Can’t wait to try more!!! Keep cooking !! 😊
I always add ricotta to my meatballs, it's excellent! A few years ago during a snow storm, I was craving spaghetti and meatballs, but had no ricotta. I drained a bit of full fat cottage cheese and threw it in the food processor. It worked, but I still prefer ricotta. I also like to grate about a quarter cup of raw onion, squeeze the water out, and add that in there too. Save the water from the onion and add it to the sauce, there's actually lots of flavor in it.
Hi, Jim! I am an elementary school teacher and often watch your videos during my lunch break. This looks delicious...I use buttermilk in my meatballs (or plain yogurt). It does make them more tender than milk, like the ricotta does maybe. I don't even pretend to have any suggestions for you, but there might be other southern cooks who may not have ricotta on hand.
@@bonnieweeks7601 it's just thicker tomato sauce really. Up here in the NY/Pa and maybe Conn? We have a family run store brand called Price Chopper or Market 32. I have found that bottled stuff and really see no difference, except it is a bit thicker/richer.
I’m in Europe for the month and not able to really cook the same as I do at home but when I get back to the states I am absolutely adding ricotta to my meatballs. That’ll be my first meal made when I return.
So as much as I love Italian and American Italian food, I've never been a very big fan of meatballs. I always found the texture of the meatballs to be offputting (too dry and/or too chewy/firm/rubbery) and oftentimes just like a big mouthful of beef (too much beef flavor at once). But I think your recipe would address both those problems! All that moisture in the ricotta would keep them juicy and tender and the mixture of meats would eliminate the "too much beef all at once" issue. I've never had one of your recipes fail me yet, so I'm going to give this one a shot!
You make this food look so delicious I want to try and make it for my husband who loves spaghetti and meatballs 🥰 I also appreciate the video speed not taking an hour to make food
Wow! Never have I ever broiled my meatballs…. But I trust you and seems aLOT less messier than frying!👍🏼 looks delicious 🤤 can’t wait to give this one a go! 👍🏼
A classic dish that never goes out of style!! This was such a treat to watch because it’s one of my favorite foods along with spaghetti bolognese and the standard lasagna :)
A friend’s Sunday sauce (prepared and cooked on Saturday) included a cut of steak submerged in the sauce/gravy and simmered with the oven baked meatballs.
Great job! Thank you very much! The fact that you used a really great passatta means that it will taste great, nomatter the ingredients. I cannot find Mutti where I live. You a lucky man. Oh, forgot, once you smell the garlic then you want to capture that flavor, so immediately add the liquid or sauce. The longer you simmer the garlic, the more of that garlic flavor escapes and is lost in the air.
This is exactly how, ironically, my polish grandmother on Long Island did this. She loved Italian food. She loved garlic. I used to snag a meatball before she added them to the sauce. They were so good. Even alone.
LOVE!!! Your video’s are done SOOO well!! I’m Italian, sometime we can be stubborn, but I like changing up my meatball ingredients a bit. It’s fun..hopefully delicious too! Can’t wait to try this..
I never thought to add ricotta to meatballs before. I’ve stuffed them with fresh mozzarella and added Parmesan but not that. I’m sure it tastes great. I will have to try that.
Useful tips here. Beef, Pork, and Veal is my preference and how my parents always made meatballs. I have never tried Ricotta in the meatballs but will try it. And agree, ALWAYS need extra sauce. Baking is healthier than frying, but I still prefer the meatballs fried.
JIM: OOOOOOH...NOW THIS IS HOW IT'S DONE. THANK YOU AND YOUR LOVELY FAMILY FOR SHARING YOUR DELICIOUS RECIPES WITH US. I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL BECAUSE YOU COOK FROM THE SOUL OF YOUR HEART. AND JAMES IS GROWING UP SO DOGGONE FAST ! I REMEMBER WHEN HE WAS A LITTLE KID. TIME GOES BY TOO FAST. I KNOW OF WHAT I SPEAK - MY "LITTLE BOY" IS 50 YEARS OLD🤣 YOUR NONNA WOULD BE SO PROUD OF YOU😍
Merci, a timely video. i'm defrosting the sauce I made a couple weeks ago to use on my next pasta recipe. And I'll be doing my sauce cooking day soon to fill up the freezer.
Came back to thank you for the tip to dip your hands in water before rolling the raw meatball mixture. What a difference when I went to wash my hands afterwards!
It's Sunday just after the 1:00 kickoff and I've been cooking all morning Sunday sauce and meatballs spaghetti and meatballs baby. I went with the art style of cooking today and I can't wait to try it. I tried one meatball and they are so good like your son said little soft but they are delicious
I haven't checked in a bit but man, the video looks great! I first saw your Italian sub video and man I love that one! Congrats to your family on all your success. Keep up the great work. This is the best cooking channel for me!
Last time I made meatballs, I experimented by putting one in the air fryer. It came out perfect, better than if I had pan fried them or baked them in the oven. From that one tester, I decided to cook them all in the air fryer. When I added them to the sauce, out of 60 meatballs, not one of them broke apart. Sounds like sacrilege to use the air fryer on meatballs, but it's the end results that counts.
mate, your channel is so good and i have learned so much. im on the other side of the world, so i often have to make substitutions for product brands, but just wanted to thank you for the effort you put into this. thanks so much ! cheers
While we may not share the same brands in different countries. Quality, is universal! Stick with quality ingredients or products, you won’t go wrong. For example, I live in Canada. I have two quality domestic pastas, I stick with. Both made from Durham wheat flour! Caned tomatoes are another. I get a good quality mid price range brand, that’s got flavour! Only problem is Parmesan Cheese. I can’t get a good quality product at a mid price. It’s either real expensive or real cheap crap!
@@michaelreid8857 yep, totally agree. spend a few bucks more on quality ingredients and food is just great. its a bit like pizza. buy cheap crap from a chain, or pay a few bucks more and support your local small italian pizzeria where its made by italians with love and care, and supports a local business. food is supposed to bring us together as a family, as families, as neighbourhoods, as cultures, yet progressively over decades we seem to have abandoned all of that aspect in favour of fast, convenient, tasteless, cheap and on the run. stop down. take time. enjoy food with family and friends.
I love how good you are at making the classics the best they can be. I cannot wait to spend a Saturday or Sunday making this for my family. And by the way, DID YOU GUYS GET A NEW HOUSE?? Looks amazing, love the new kitchen!
I add ricotta to meatballs but not the eggs. No turning back. I make a lot of Russian "PELMENI." I have never been happy with the meat filling, and then one day I watched "Souped Up Recipes" and her tips for ground beef and tender meatballs. She added water and baking soda and mixed mixed mixed in ONE direction. It's game changing and a great tip. I have not used it for Italian meatballs. Yet. I must have missed something ... looks like y'all got some new digs! When do we get a tour? Thanks for posting.
I love spaghetti and meatballs but I never have made meatballs very well in my opinion. I’ve made spaghetti sauce like no other as we all have haha but not meatballs. I live in Utica Ny and I think I’m spoiled with Italian food from around this area. Love your videos. I really enjoy watching and learning something new from you and your family. Good stuff 👍
I dated an Italian once and his mom would make the most amazing fried potatoes in sauce with fried peppers. I still crave those 40 yrs later! As I’m always wondering what “sides” to serve with a pasta dinner (besides salad?) , I would love to know what your family eats as sides. I’ve tried numerous times to perfect rapinni, but I’ve given up. It always comes out bitter 😂 We’d be grateful if you could share some EASY sides (not main events lol)
Haha the taste-tester is so great🤩 Will for sure try adding ricotta in my italian meatballs next time, but will also keep the Parmigiano in as well. Great video, thanks💥
Love these videos! James is so lucky to be a taste tester! Suggestion maybe? Bring on one or two of his friends also to taste test? Kids are so brutally honest 🤣
Same. I made a similar batch of meatballs a while back that also used ricotta. Unbelievable. I never really cared about the "perfectly" round meatball. I'm willing to sacrifice that for tenderness and flavor.
This is good! Very close to the sauce and meatballs I make. The panade is key! Two things that you might not believe... First, a little bit of tomato paste in the meatball will improve the flavor. Second, a very tiny bit of worcestershire sauce, just a couple of drops, will improve the meatballs much like anchovies.
Well, these are our new go-to meatballs. The ricotta makes such a difference. I bought a large loaf of Chicago Italian Bread baked in-house at our local supermarket (Publix), which made excellent bread crumbs and there was plenty left over for dipping and cleaning our plates. Luckily I found imported Passata from Italy in the grocery - I was afraid I was going to have to use Pomi. Anyway, thanks for another excellent recipe - we really enjoyed this one.
Love the anchovy addition to the sauce! Am not a fan of the bread cubes... I know many, many people swear by it but I've done comparisons of with and without and the without yields much more tender meatballs. You have to remember meatballs were a peasant food and the addition of bread was meant to stretch the recipe out (meat was very expensive). So I see absolutely no need to add a filler, which is all the bread is. Breadcrumbs on the other hand act as a binder, the bread does not (which is why people add egg). I always use ricotta, regular unseasoned breadcrumbs, never any eggs... parsley is a must, olive oil is a must, and a few tablespoons of your sauce thrown in to the meatball mixture does wonders. I never use raw garlic or onions... unless you puree them, you're always going to end up with meatballs with some garlic/onion and others without. Using garlic powder and onion powder (good quality, not store bought) will incorporate the seasoning throughout each meatball. Last piece of advice is I cook my meatballs in the oven but I put white wine in the bottom of the pan which helps keep them moist, and cook at 450 degrees under convection roast for 10 minutes. Finish cooking in the sauce.
We love using anchovies too. We also use bread cubes but soaked in milk. We find that when we use the bread the meatballs are more moist as the starch in the bread retains the moisture released by the meat and the milk binds the mixture so eggs are not required.
For a regular guy, he knows his stuff. I’d only add that I add chicken stick to thin out the thick sauce to prevent plopping all over the place . As the tomato sauce cooks out the water , it stops plopping.
Have you made a video of how you make your own homemade marinara? I see a video for quick marinara but wondered if you have a different recipe for another marinara that you wouldn’t call quick. I also found videos for Sunday sauce…is that the same as marinara? Having watched the 2 blind taste tests of store bought marinara, I’ve wondered how you make your marinara that both you and James often refer to. I always enjoy your videos!
The reason it is called marinara is because it is a quick sauce for Mariners/Sailors. The wives would either see or hear that the ships were coming into port so they would make quick sauce to have hot food ready for their husbands or sons or other family members.
I get a kick out of the expression on his face when he anticipates James taking that first bite!!!! Then the happy grin.😂 Looks delicious and I'm gonna try this soon
Great choice for tomato sauce, which is available in my area and the anchovies are a must have because it adds a flavor that is not fishy but adds something. Think a really good Caesar salad. Sauce is beauitful. Thanks S&P.
I've heard that when anchovies are minced and fried in oil, they dissolve, leaving behind a flavor one chef I watched on cable TV described as "salted nuts." Is this accurate, do you think?
Great recipe as usual! Thanks!! Hey, I'd like to know more about your new kitchen. Is it a new room, is it a remodel of the old one? Almost looks like you lost some counterspace on the one side?
Thank you for being such a great teacher dear Jim! Adding the pasta water brought all my pasta dishes (especially spaghetti with green asparagus!!) one level up! Also I always put the pasta in the sauce to finish the dish! So much better than topping the pasta with any sauce! Thanks chef👍🙏🏼🥰 With your way of cooking you’ve given me more joy to cook wonderful vegetarian food ! My husband loves it too👌🇦🇹❣️
As I said in the video, I often change up my sauce. It keeps things interesting in the kitchen and I encourage you to experiment often as well. Ricotta makes a very tender meatball and I recommend adding it to your meatballs. I'm pretty sure you will love it. The print recipe and ingredients are linked in the description. As always, thanks so much for liking and sharing our videos!
Can I recommend a video where you make polpette like my family does?
Here at least in Australia, my Italian family, we make pork polpette with soaked bread, parmigiano, parlsey, an egg, salt and pepper and mix well. And we cook it by adding them raw to the sunday sauce. You add them 35 mins before the sauce is done (out of a 2 hr slow simmer).
Give it a go. I promise you, you'll never taste a more tender meatballs by skipping the browning process.
My grandsons can’t have any cheese. How sad to be Sicilian and can’t have cheese. Luv your channel.
I’m going to give your method a try. I’ve had really tender Swedish Meatballs cooked in the sauce.
Thank you for the suggestion.
We have the pasta first then the meatballs with salad
I LOVE SCALFANI GROUND CRUSJED TOMATOES!
Been using them.over 20 years and there always the same Perfect fresh tomato 🍅 great consistency Cooks great and I put it directly on my pizza
The price got nuts but on Amazon Prime I order a dozen per box at a time for 30. That's OK in stores I've seen it for 3 That's Nuts
I live in Brooklyn NYC were there sold all over
If someone can't get them.order them
It says Jersey Fresh but they're not grown in Jersey the seasons too short they use Jetsey Seed type tomatoes I'd imagine
Anyway thete great you can.make a quick simple sauce while bringing water to boil n cooking up.some spaghetti or whatever shape and it's perfect
Or use it in more elaborate ways
I know I always have 2 quarts of simple marinara tomato sauce to.use in countless ways
SCALFANI IS GREAT
So is Pastene n Cento
Thete used to be DeNoila Pope
Progresso made great tomatoes
Now there a load of crazy soups
The had a great little Capanata I loved
TRY SCALFANI!
Tara does a GREAT job being your videographer! I'll bet she does a lot more than just record the videos!!! Bravo Tara!!
TARA ROCKS !!💯💃🌱🌻🎇
Love how he can't describe perfection, but knows when it isn't perfect. Love his honesty though. Great kid you've got there.
Kids love what they're used to...there's no way you could have topped your original meatball recipe in his eyes! lol. So sweet. Those meatballs look and sound amazing! I'll definitely try it with ricotta!
"take a breath" "chew, chew" - your relationship with your son is great - and hilarious. and he's a typical teenager. not sure if you can see it, but he's proud of his dad. and your producer / camera man wife chimes in - "james, what could dad have have done to make it a ten ?" - "um, i dont know mum, maybe up my allowance". just hilarious. what a great channel. god bless you all.
I'm 63 and still eat spaghetti and meatballs like James. Love your channel and have incorporated your recipes with mine thanks for sharing.
James is such a recipe trooper. What kid doesn't adore spaghetti and meatballs? Great video!
Ciao ! The same can be said with "Spaghetti alla Bolognese." The favorite dish of almost every child, in school canteen all over the world. Not only by us in Italy ! 😊
I love how you love feeding and pleasing James. You’re all great together.
🍝I have made many of your recipes and they are always delicious! I have to say the best part of your channel is how you light up when James comes in the kitchen, what a great dad you are! And momma behind the camera! Super nice family! My family sends love to your family we live in New York! ❤️🇮🇹😘💯%🇮🇹❤️🇮🇹❤️
James is a brutal critic ! You all are a fun family and produce a solid show - thank you !
Some of the BEST and most Practical GOURMET instructional recipes to be found ANYWHERE on the Internet. I simply have NEVER EVER seen one of your videos that DID NOT DELIVER! EVER! Your videos are TRULY INSTRUCTIONAL!!!! I have not followed your video instruction and had a BAD result. Your Videos are SO SO SO informative!!! Julia Child would be PROUD of your efforts. A Great Family, great concept, involving your family-----it is just BEAUTIFUL!!!! TY for your efforts and recipes. You are a GREAT SECRET. I cannot express in words how GREAT it is what you do. KEEP EM COMING!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!
Your channel is as important as any cooking show I have EVER seen in my 64 years. TRUTH!
I love to see you so carefully presenting the meatballs to James and awaiting his critique like you’re in front of Gordon Ramsey 😊
A real person trying food is so much more interesting than a celebrity chef.
I like that your son doesn't give the dish of spaghetti and meatballs a10 but he can't stop eating it. I love it.
I love watching your videos, but James is the star! He cracks me up!
Like the idea of adding ricotta to the meatballs. I do that with meat filling for cannelloni. Adding an extra egg can also soften the meatballs. Great editing.
I love putting anchovies in tomato sauce. I’ve told people that anchovies are the secret ingredient, and they’re always surprised that they add the richness and saltiness that makes the sauce good.
I have used ricotta before in meatballs! I love it! It adds a wonderful creamy, sweet flavor and adds depth. I grew up with meatloaf and meatballs always with the trio (when we could afford) beef, pork, and veal. No one ever uses it now and the people I speak to don't know about the veal for some reason. They were/are missing out! When I was growing up, my grandma did potted meatballs, so they were much softer (they were not in tomato sauce; more stew type sauce). My mom made more traditional meatballs as I mentioned and they were a bit denser than my grandma's. Personally I love either but I like them softer - easier to eat and juicier, more flavorful.
For meatballs: You should combine all ingredients except the meat; you can mix them thoroughly without risking toughening up the meat mix. Plus, you get even distribution of flavors when you add the meat. That’s how most professional kitchens do it. Thank you for your recipes & your dedication to Italian-American cuisine!
this.
@@op3129that
I prefer the slower paced videos. I enjoy watching you cook, relax and have fun in your kitchen. I still like this one too, just the slower pace is what I prefer.
You are a wonderful chef. I love the way you include your family.
The first channel I am watching (and I am watching many) that gives specific amount of salt plus explains it. You can't underestimate the importance of the right amount of salt in your meals!
Well done, thumbs up!!!
I love the way you beam at your kids and Tara when they taste test. You are so proud of your family as they are of you
Honestly I think you've got the best cooking channel on youtube!! The food is great and the instructions and explanations of fundmentals have really helped my cooking. Thanks!!
Love this channel!
You translate great tasting food into easy to follow recipes. My family think I've suddenly developed a talent for Italian cooking 😂.
Defo be doing this recipe!
👍 from the UK
MF2E' You might like the cookbook' "ITALY THE COUNTRY AND ITS CUISINE"
Making this for our Friday night weekly family dinner...my kids, their kids, looks like another winner!! I always look forward to your videos! Thanks so much!!
Definitely gunna have to give this a go, it looks delicious
Also on a side note. Love the new kitchen, it's light and airy and at the same time cosy and homely. Especially when looking straight through to the living room
I’m watching this again because it’s meatball day!!! I just want to say, YOU are the best thing that came out of the pandemic. I mean that genuinely. I always smile and feel good when I start your videos. Cheers and health to you and your lovely family 🙌🇨🇦🙏
Made this dish yesterday having leftovers today - best meatballs and sauce I’ve ever had!!! And that’s saying something from a fellow Sicilian ❤😁🌟🌟🌟 thank you James!!
Made this recipe tonight. Hands down the best spaghetti and meatballs I’ve ever made! Was blown away by the simplicity of the sauce and short cooking time yet it was literal perfection. This is now 2 for 2 of your recipes I’ve tried. Can’t wait to try more!!! Keep cooking !! 😊
One of my favorite cooking shows, love how you show the consistency and look at different stages, but James and his reviews are my favorite part.
I always add ricotta to my meatballs, it's excellent! A few years ago during a snow storm, I was craving spaghetti and meatballs, but had no ricotta. I drained a bit of full fat cottage cheese and threw it in the food processor. It worked, but I still prefer ricotta. I also like to grate about a quarter cup of raw onion, squeeze the water out, and add that in there too. Save the water from the onion and add it to the sauce, there's actually lots of flavor in it.
Made this tonight, was a huge hit with both me and my 7-year old who asked for a second plate of spaghetti and 2 more meatballs lol. Grazie!
Hi, Jim! I am an elementary school teacher and often watch your videos during my lunch break. This looks delicious...I use buttermilk in my meatballs (or plain yogurt). It does make them more tender than milk, like the ricotta does maybe. I don't even pretend to have any suggestions for you, but there might be other southern cooks who may not have ricotta on hand.
I live in Augusta, Ga and we have ricotta available. That bottle of tomato puree I've never seen.
@@bonnieweeks7601 it's just thicker tomato sauce really. Up here in the NY/Pa and maybe Conn? We have a family run store brand called Price Chopper or Market 32. I have found that bottled stuff and really see no difference, except it is a bit thicker/richer.
I’m in Europe for the month and not able to really cook the same as I do at home but when I get back to the states I am absolutely adding ricotta to my meatballs. That’ll be my first meal made when I return.
So as much as I love Italian and American Italian food, I've never been a very big fan of meatballs. I always found the texture of the meatballs to be offputting (too dry and/or too chewy/firm/rubbery) and oftentimes just like a big mouthful of beef (too much beef flavor at once). But I think your recipe would address both those problems! All that moisture in the ricotta would keep them juicy and tender and the mixture of meats would eliminate the "too much beef all at once" issue. I've never had one of your recipes fail me yet, so I'm going to give this one a shot!
Looks so yummy!!!! Love the new kitchen and views of your comfy looking living room! Thanks for all you do!
I love how James devours an entire dish in 2 minutes speechless and gives it an 8.5 🤣
IKR?
Kids are like that. My son would devour it and then say “eh…it wasn’t my favorite” 😂
And after wanting to knock it down a peg, goes in for plate licking 😂
You make this food look so delicious I want to try and make it for my husband who loves spaghetti and meatballs 🥰 I also appreciate the video speed not taking an hour to make food
Clean plate club is always your compliment. Lol
Wow! Never have I ever broiled my meatballs…. But I trust you and seems aLOT less messier than frying!👍🏼 looks delicious 🤤 can’t wait to give this one a go! 👍🏼
I normally bake mine. This is the same principle.
@@michaelreid8857 I bake mine as well. Seems more even browning and cooked through. Less mess too.
A classic dish that never goes out of style!! This was such a treat to watch because it’s one of my favorite foods along with spaghetti bolognese and the standard lasagna :)
Don't leave out the meatballs. Just my opinion.
Seriously, i watch all your vids. Your enthusiasm is contagious.
I LOVE passata....It's so versatile.
A friend’s Sunday sauce (prepared and cooked on Saturday) included a cut of steak submerged in the sauce/gravy and simmered with the oven baked meatballs.
Great job! Thank you very much!
The fact that you used a really great passatta means that it will taste great, nomatter the ingredients. I cannot find Mutti where I live. You a lucky man. Oh, forgot, once you smell the garlic then you want to capture that flavor, so immediately add the liquid or sauce. The longer you simmer the garlic, the more of that garlic flavor escapes and is lost in the air.
This is exactly how, ironically, my polish grandmother on Long Island did this. She loved Italian food. She loved garlic. I used to snag a meatball before she added them to the sauce. They were so good. Even alone.
LOVE!!! Your video’s are done SOOO well!! I’m Italian, sometime we can be stubborn, but I like changing up my meatball ingredients a bit. It’s fun..hopefully delicious too! Can’t wait to try this..
I will definitely try the Ricotta in the balls, I bet it really amps up the texture and flavor! Love the channel
I never thought to add ricotta to meatballs before. I’ve stuffed them with fresh mozzarella and added Parmesan but not that. I’m sure it tastes great. I will have to try that.
lidia bastianich (sp?) has a meatloaf (which is basically a giant meatball) with ricotta and cubes of mozz
I think the Ricotta will keep them moist!
Useful tips here. Beef, Pork, and Veal is my preference and how my parents always made meatballs. I have never tried Ricotta in the meatballs but will try it. And agree, ALWAYS need extra sauce. Baking is healthier than frying, but I still prefer the meatballs fried.
Got a board game night coming up with the grandchildren - this is just perfect! Just get a plate and grab some whenever you want......
JIM: OOOOOOH...NOW THIS IS HOW IT'S DONE.
THANK YOU AND YOUR LOVELY FAMILY FOR SHARING YOUR DELICIOUS RECIPES WITH US. I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL BECAUSE YOU COOK FROM THE SOUL OF YOUR HEART.
AND JAMES IS GROWING UP SO DOGGONE FAST ! I REMEMBER WHEN HE WAS A LITTLE KID. TIME GOES BY TOO FAST. I KNOW OF WHAT I SPEAK - MY "LITTLE BOY" IS 50 YEARS OLD🤣
YOUR NONNA WOULD BE SO PROUD OF YOU😍
Merci, a timely video. i'm defrosting the sauce I made a couple weeks ago to use on my next pasta recipe. And I'll be doing my sauce cooking day soon to fill up the freezer.
Just love Sip & Feast
Came back to thank you for the tip to dip your hands in water before rolling the raw meatball mixture. What a difference when I went to wash my hands afterwards!
It's Sunday just after the 1:00 kickoff and I've been cooking all morning Sunday sauce and meatballs spaghetti and meatballs baby. I went with the art style of cooking today and I can't wait to try it. I tried one meatball and they are so good like your son said little soft but they are delicious
This boy adds Joy.
I haven't checked in a bit but man, the video looks great! I first saw your Italian sub video and man I love that one! Congrats to your family on all your success. Keep up the great work. This is the best cooking channel for me!
Excellent video. I put ricotta in my meatballs and it really makes a difference.
Last time I made meatballs, I experimented by putting one in the air fryer. It came out perfect, better than if I had pan fried them or baked them in the oven. From that one tester, I decided to cook them all in the air fryer. When I added them to the sauce, out of 60 meatballs, not one of them broke apart. Sounds like sacrilege to use the air fryer on meatballs, but it's the end results that counts.
What a wonderful simple recipe. I have never used Burrata in a meatball before. I', def going to try it now. Thanks.
mate, your channel is so good and i have learned so much. im on the other side of the world, so i often have to make substitutions for product brands, but just wanted to thank you for the effort you put into this. thanks so much ! cheers
While we may not share the same brands in different countries.
Quality, is universal! Stick with quality ingredients or products, you won’t go wrong.
For example, I live in Canada. I have two quality domestic pastas, I stick with. Both made from Durham wheat flour!
Caned tomatoes are another. I get a good quality mid price range brand, that’s got flavour!
Only problem is Parmesan Cheese. I can’t get a good quality product at a mid price. It’s either real expensive or real cheap crap!
@@michaelreid8857 yep, totally agree. spend a few bucks more on quality ingredients and food is just great. its a bit like pizza. buy cheap crap from a chain, or pay a few bucks more and support your local small italian pizzeria where its made by italians with love and care, and supports a local business. food is supposed to bring us together as a family, as families, as neighbourhoods, as cultures, yet progressively over decades we seem to have abandoned all of that aspect in favour of fast, convenient, tasteless, cheap and on the run. stop down. take time. enjoy food with family and friends.
I love how good you are at making the classics the best they can be. I cannot wait to spend a Saturday or Sunday making this for my family. And by the way, DID YOU GUYS GET A NEW HOUSE?? Looks amazing, love the new kitchen!
I add ricotta to meatballs but not the eggs. No turning back. I make a lot of Russian "PELMENI." I have never been happy with the meat filling, and then one day I watched
"Souped Up Recipes" and her tips for ground beef and tender meatballs. She added water and baking soda and mixed mixed mixed in ONE direction. It's game changing and a great tip. I have not used it for Italian meatballs. Yet. I must have missed something ... looks like y'all got some new digs! When do we get a tour? Thanks for posting.
I love spaghetti and meatballs but I never have made meatballs very well in my opinion. I’ve made spaghetti sauce like no other as we all have haha but not meatballs. I live in Utica Ny and I think I’m spoiled with Italian food from around this area. Love your videos. I really enjoy watching and learning something new from you and your family. Good stuff 👍
I dated an Italian once and his mom would make the most amazing fried potatoes in sauce with fried peppers. I still crave those 40 yrs later! As I’m always wondering what “sides” to serve with a pasta dinner (besides salad?) , I would love to know what your family eats as sides. I’ve tried numerous times to perfect rapinni, but I’ve given up. It always comes out bitter 😂 We’d be grateful if you could share some EASY sides (not main events lol)
Haha the taste-tester is so great🤩 Will for sure try adding ricotta in my italian meatballs next time, but will also keep the Parmigiano in as well. Great video, thanks💥
Love these videos! James is so lucky to be a taste tester!
Suggestion maybe? Bring on one or two of his friends also to taste test? Kids are so brutally honest 🤣
Great video once again Jim. I wake up early every Thursday to watch a new video from you. You never disappoint. Keep up the good work.
Personally I like the soft meatball texture, both in pasta and in grinders. So I’ll def try this recipe! Well done looked amazing
Same. I made a similar batch of meatballs a while back that also used ricotta. Unbelievable. I never really cared about the "perfectly" round meatball. I'm willing to sacrifice that for tenderness and flavor.
Love Pecorino Romano, I've been on a real binge of it lately, beautiful cheese!
This is good! Very close to the sauce and meatballs I make. The panade is key! Two things that you might not believe... First, a little bit of tomato paste in the meatball will improve the flavor. Second, a very tiny bit of worcestershire sauce, just a couple of drops, will improve the meatballs much like anchovies.
This was priceless! Love his honesty 🍝
Picked up some good tips to improve my next batch of spaghetti & meatballs, looking forward to making some. Cheers! 🇨🇦
I use my kitchenaid mixer with the paddle attachment. It makes surprisingly light and soft meatballs not tough.
Finally a sauce WITHOUT onions, TY TY!
Your videos are SO wholesome 🤗
Well, these are our new go-to meatballs. The ricotta makes such a difference. I bought a large loaf of Chicago Italian Bread baked in-house at our local supermarket (Publix), which made excellent bread crumbs and there was plenty left over for dipping and cleaning our plates. Luckily I found imported Passata from Italy in the grocery - I was afraid I was going to have to use Pomi. Anyway, thanks for another excellent recipe - we really enjoyed this one.
My grandma would simmer he sauce SUPER low all night on the stove. After Sunday Mass, we enjoyed a meal from Heaven. Mamma Mia!
i was waiting for James to give you a lousy score as he wolfed down the food!! lolol my mouth was watering !!!! love you guys!!
Love the anchovy addition to the sauce! Am not a fan of the bread cubes... I know many, many people swear by it but I've done comparisons of with and without and the without yields much more tender meatballs. You have to remember meatballs were a peasant food and the addition of bread was meant to stretch the recipe out (meat was very expensive). So I see absolutely no need to add a filler, which is all the bread is. Breadcrumbs on the other hand act as a binder, the bread does not (which is why people add egg). I always use ricotta, regular unseasoned breadcrumbs, never any eggs... parsley is a must, olive oil is a must, and a few tablespoons of your sauce thrown in to the meatball mixture does wonders. I never use raw garlic or onions... unless you puree them, you're always going to end up with meatballs with some garlic/onion and others without. Using garlic powder and onion powder (good quality, not store bought) will incorporate the seasoning throughout each meatball. Last piece of advice is I cook my meatballs in the oven but I put white wine in the bottom of the pan which helps keep them moist, and cook at 450 degrees under convection roast for 10 minutes. Finish cooking in the sauce.
We love using anchovies too. We also use bread cubes but soaked in milk. We find that when we use the bread the meatballs are more moist as the starch in the bread retains the moisture released by the meat and the milk binds the mixture so eggs are not required.
@@pvdogs2 OK, I gotcha... that makes sense. I guess it's just a personal preference thing for me.
My mouth is watering! Absolutely love Spaghetti in Tomato Sauce with meat.
I enjoy the recipes and the whole family aspect (beautiful wife and kids too). Looks delicious!
The sauce looks amazing. I need to try using the puree like that.
For a regular guy, he knows his stuff. I’d only add that I add chicken stick to thin out the thick sauce to prevent plopping all over the place . As the tomato sauce cooks out the water , it stops plopping.
Have you made a video of how you make your own homemade marinara? I see a video for quick marinara but wondered if you have a different recipe for another marinara that you wouldn’t call quick. I also found videos for Sunday sauce…is that the same as marinara? Having watched the 2 blind taste tests of store bought marinara, I’ve wondered how you make your marinara that both you and James often refer to. I always enjoy your videos!
The reason it is called marinara is because it is a quick sauce for Mariners/Sailors. The wives would either see or hear that the ships were coming into port so they would make quick sauce to have hot food ready for their husbands or sons or other family members.
@@jred5153 interesting. I did not know that.
100 pct love this! Zactly how I make at home....cept, put the meatballs on the smoker for 30 mins w pecan or mulberry. Holy Christmas, next level.
I get a kick out of the expression on his face when he anticipates James taking that first bite!!!! Then the happy grin.😂 Looks delicious and I'm gonna try this soon
I always saute fennel seed first in olive oil, then add the onions and garlic. Molto Bene'!
looks amazing. will try this week
Another incredible video and what a mouth watering meatball recipe... nice one.... keep up the good work...
Great choice for tomato sauce, which is available in my area and the anchovies are a must have because it adds a flavor that is not fishy but adds something. Think a really good Caesar salad. Sauce is beauitful. Thanks S&P.
I've heard that when anchovies are minced and fried in oil, they dissolve, leaving behind a flavor one chef I watched on cable TV described as "salted nuts." Is this accurate, do you think?
@@ModdingNewbie Yes. That is and accurate description.
Great recipe as usual! Thanks!! Hey, I'd like to know more about your new kitchen. Is it a new room, is it a remodel of the old one? Almost looks like you lost some counterspace on the one side?
Worcestershire sauce for me. Same effect, no textural problems.
Your video editing is getting really good. 👍🏻
LOL….there we go……I knew I couldn’t have missed it!! Thanks for posting another great video!!
Terrific texture to that sauce.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!and it looks so delicious 😋!
I love soft meatballs. Can’t wait to try this!!
Making your broccoli spaghetti tonite!!
So excited!!
Thank you for being such a great teacher dear Jim! Adding the pasta water brought all my pasta dishes (especially spaghetti with green asparagus!!) one level up!
Also I always put the pasta in the sauce to finish the dish! So much better than topping the pasta with any sauce! Thanks chef👍🙏🏼🥰
With your way of cooking you’ve given me more joy to cook wonderful vegetarian food ! My husband loves it too👌🇦🇹❣️
Thank you for distributing the salt and pepper!