Ricotta-Filled Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 cup ricotta cheese 
• 0.5 cup parmesan grated
• 1.5 teaspoons coarse salt 
• 1 serving pepper black freshly ground
• 3 cups top white italian cubed
• 1 pound ground veal 
• 1 pound ground beef 
• 1 pound ground pork 
• 1 large eggs 
• 0.5  onion chopped
• 0.3 cup parsley fresh chopped
• 0.3 cup basil fresh chopped
• 1.5 cups parmesan grated
• 1 inch oregano 
• 1 serving coarse salt 
• 2 cups tomato sauce 
• 1 cup tomato sauce 
• 0.5 cup ricotta cheese 
• 0.3 cup parmesan grated

Equipment

• bowl
• baking paper
• oven
• knife
• baking pan
• aluminum foil
• pastry bag
• apple corer

Directions

1. Make the meatballs: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Run bread under water and gently squeeze out excess liquid.
3. Transfer bread to a large bowl and add veal, beef, pork, egg, onion, parsley, basil, cheese, and oregano; season with salt. Using your hands, mix until well combined. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions and roll each portion into a large round meatball.
4. Place meatballs in a large baking dish.
5. In a large bowl, combine tomato sauce and two cups of water. Spoon tomato sauce mixture over meatballs until liquid comes three-quarters of the way up the meatballs, adding more water if necessary. Cover baking dish with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil and transfer to oven.
6. Bake meatballs for 1 hour, rotating dish after 30 minutes.
7. Make the stuffing: In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients.
8. Transfer cheese mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip; set aside.
9. Remove meatballs from baking dish and discard liquid. Using an apple corer or small knife, cut out a 1/2-inch hole in the bottom of each meatball; fill hole with cheese mixture and transfer meatballs to a large baking dish, hole side up.
10. Serve: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon tomato sauce evenly over meatballs and transfer to oven.
11. Bake until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes. Top each meatball with a tablespoon of ricotta cheese (it should look like it is oozing from the center) and sprinkle with Parmigiano; return to oven and heat for 3 minutes.
12. Serve immediately.