Doris Roberts Meatballs Recipes

MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, stir together the panko and milk until combined. Set mixture aside to soak for 5 to 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
• Add the ground beef, ground pork, garlic, eggs, Parmesan, fresh herbs, onion and Worcestershire sauce to the (same) mixing bowl. Sprinkle the oregano, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes evenly on top. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until evenly combined, being careful not to over-mix the ingredients.
• To make the meatballs easier to form, I recommend covering and chilling the mixture in the refrigerator for 1 hour. But if you're pressed for time, you can skip this step.
• Heat the oven to 425°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Using a medium cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop and roll the mixture into 2-tablespoon balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. (I recommend greasing your hands with a bit of olive oil to prevent the mixture from sticking.)
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer measures the internal temperature of the meatballs to be 160°F. Remove pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack.
• Serve meatballs immediately and enjoy!

BAKED MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, lamb, ground round, spinach, cheese, egg, basil, parsley, garlic powder, salt, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs. Using your hands, mix all ingredients until well incorporated. Use immediately or place in refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
• Place the remaining 1/4 cup of bread crumbs into a small bowl. Using a scale, weigh meatballs into 1.5-ounce portions and place on a sheet pan. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds, roll in the bread crumbs and place the meatballs in individual, miniature muffin tin cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

DORIS ROBERTS' MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• Cover the bottom of a large pan with good olive oil and turn heat under it to medium. When the oil becomes fragrant, it is warm enough to add the garlic. Add garlic, onion, basil, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper and saute until onion is golden.
• Add meat and cook until brown, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon.
• Add the tomatoes, crushing them by hand. Add puree. Cover and lower heat, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking another 15 minutes. Serve over your favorite pasta or use in lasagna.

DORIS ROBERTS' MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Throughly mix all ingredients (except oil) in bowl and form into balls about the size of a quarter.
• Heat 1- 1 1/2 inches of vegetable oil in fry pan. When oil sizzles as a drop of water is added, add meatballs and fry until golden brown.
• Transfer to Doris Roberts' Meat Sauce (see recipe on this site).

MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat a saute pan to medium heat. Add the oil and saute the onions, garlic and oregano until the onions are slightly caramelized. Set aside to cool.
• In large bowl, mix the chilled tomato sauce with the bread. Add the ground beef, sausage, Parmesan, parsley, provolone, tomato paste, ham, mortadella, salami, raw eggs, hard-boiled eggs and the onion mixture and mix well.
• Form 3-ounce meatballs and place them on a nonstick baking sheet, or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking mat. Bake until the meatballs are cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes.

ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Shape into meatballs a little bigger than a golf ball -- for some reason, Italian meatballs are always huge but they taste so great!
• Brown in oil or bake in a 350° oven until browned then add to a basil - tomato sauce (your own recipe) or mine when I post it.
• For a few good variations add: Italian sausage, ribs (mmm).
• This is not for the calorie-counting/cholesterol-watching crowd!

DORIS ROBERTS' LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a saute pan, fry sausages until cooked through. When cool, slice and set aside. Saute mushrooms and peas in butter, salt and pepper until soft and mushrooms are starting to brown. Set aside.
• Cook noodles according to package. Drain, separate and set aside.
• Slice eggs and set aside.
• In a fairly deep baking dish, ladle a thin layer of sauce on the bottom (only enough to keep the first layer of noodles from sticking to the dish). Line the dish horizontally with noodles allowing a generous overhang. Spoon on a bit more sauce and arrange another layer of noodles vertically (as if your were making a lattice pie crust). You'll use the noodles that hang over the sides of the dish to wrap the lasagna when you're finished building the layers. Scatter a layer of meatballs onto the noodles. (Be sure to mind the amount of residual sauce that is spooned with the meatballs, as to much sauce will make the dish runny and unable to maintain its shape on the dinner plate).
• Add sliced sausage, egg slices, mushrooms and peas on top of the meatballs. Drop generous dollops of ricotta, followed by a handful of shredded mozzarella and sprinkling of parmesan cheese. Repeat layers until the dish is full; this should give you three substantial layers. When construction is complete, fold the overhanging noodles over the top of the dish. Finish with a layer of sauce and some more parmesan.
• Beat one egg vigorously and pour it over the finished lasagna to keep your masterpiece together. Tap dish on counter top to settle layers.
• Bake at 325°F for 30 to 40 minutes.