Cookin' & Cussin'

Bison Ricotta Meatballs

Spring is trying to do its best & spring up around here in Virginia Beach. I’m still hella mad that we didn’t get at the very least 1 snow dump but I guess I’ll save my bitchin’ for later.

BUT in good news, spring returning means our Shore Drive Farmer’s Market will be back in full swing before we know it! Saturday, April 15 is the welcome back day for the East Beach Farmer’s Market here and I can’t waaaaait! Chris & I usually peruse once a month and make a good ol’ time of it! There’s a local coffee AND beer shop ((under 1 roof!)) within walking distance down the street so we usually do our shopping, walk down there & sit for a spell and enjoy a beer (or two) at COVA Brewing to relax afterwards!

Farmer’s Market Finds

Microgreens, Cheese Dips (Life is Gouda), Knife Sharpening, No-Salt Spices, Big Yeasty Doughnuts (Klassic Doughnuts), Fresh Homemade Pasta & Sauces, Raw Local Honey, Grassfed Beef (River Road Farm), Farm Fresh Eggs, a plethora of the freshest produce EVER, Kombucha, many more offerings – and last but not least – BISON MEAT in all forms!

Riffle Farms is an amazing family & veteran-owned Bison Farm in Terra Alta West Virginia. We found & fell in love with Liz (the owner) and her bison meat at our local farmers market here in Virginia Beach! (yea, she makes that trek & we love her for it!)

why ground bison?

Bison is healthier than ground beef, naturally lean & doesn’t have that gamey flavor that most would expect to taste AT ALL. We have been completely hooked on it! We have made Bison Burgers ((umm hello that was my first blog post)) and wanted to get a little more adventurous with what to do to make the Bison meat shine!

So, without further ado, I introduce to you : Bison Ricotta Meatballs. They were so incredibly tender & flavorful and I couldn’t be happier with how they turned out! Meatballs don’t have to be difficult. I think people respectfully believe that someone’s Italian Nona is gonna smack them with a wooden spoon if their meatballs aren’t *just so* but in my opinion, its da love that you put into food that makes it worth serving!

I usually stick to my same rule of thumb for meatballs that I do for meatloaf – 1 egg, breadcrumbs & delicious spices to season it up and you can’t go wrong! I mean seriously, I get it, everybody puts *whatever* their secret ingredients are into their meatloaf or meatballs, but don’t stress over it. If you are experimenting, make it your own – if not, follow my recipe! It will turn out great so have faith. Let’s get to it!

Ingredients

· 1 LB Ground Bison, Riffle Farms brand

· ½ cup Part Skim Ricotta Cheese

· ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

· ¼ cup Plain Panko Breadcrumbs

· 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

· 1 egg

· ¼ cup finely chopped fresh Oregano, Thyme & Rosemary

· S+P, 1 TSP each

Instructions, 1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Measure out all above ingredients & have them at the ready.

Also have a large cookie sheet ready with tin foil & sprayed with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together gently with your hands.

((I usually wear a pair of gloves for the mixing & rolling of the meatballs cause I can’t stand the feel of raw meat & then my hands are clean afterwards))

Each meatball should be about the size of a large golf ball – you want them to be as close to the same size as possible so they will cook evenly.

Grab a hunk of your Ground Bison mixture and roll it around in your palms to ensure the ingredients are all stuck together – the egg & ricotta will help bind the meat together and keep the meat soft while the breadcrumbs also help keep the shape & consistency together.

Place each meatball on the greased cookie sheet.

((You should be able to get 15-17 meatballs from 1 LB Ground Bison))

Bake the meatballs in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, flipping halfway thru.

((the meatballs will stay moist & tender and will finish cooking in your sauce))

I think this should also be a great time to make sure you’ve got some water in a pot that’s ret-ta-go to start boiling your pasta!

I KNOW, SUE ME.

I didn’t include the ingredients for “my” pasta sauce above because I truly believe everyone has their way of making spaghetti sauce – whether its 100% homemade ((nobody asked you)) or it’s a 50-50 kinda thing ((hi, hello that’s me))

I don’t believe there is any wrong way to make a spaghetti sauce – its up to you & how you like it! I ALWAYS use jarred spaghetti sauce as my base and then I just add in some seriously amazing extras to amp it up – my top 2 favorite things to add ((at the very least)) is red wine & a can of diced tomatoes.

So you’ll see pictures along this journey so don’t feel alarmed – I just didn’t want to make this recipe overwhelming because THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE BISON MEATBALLS.

Instructions, 2

I now feel that that I’ve fully explained myself, so let’s move on.

While your meatballs are doing their lil bake in the oven – it’s time to heat your sauce in a saucepan that’s large enough to encompass not only your meatballs but also to mix in the pasta at the end – oh yea, we’re doing this family style. RIGHT IN THE PAN.

So get your sauce ready however you see fit – I usually dice an onion, saute for a bit, pour in the spaghetti sauce & then just start throwing in ALL the random things – extra herbs, a BIG splash of red wine, extra garlic, & a can of diced tomatoes. Can’t go wrong with whatever you choose, so just do it.

SHIT is your water boiling?? Have you flipped your meatballs?? At the very least your kitchen should be smelling hella good by now…..

Salt your water generously & drop in whatever pasta your heart desires – we went with thin spaghetti to make this as classic as possible.

Your meatballs should be done by now – simply remove them from the cookie sheet & nestle them right into the sauce that should be gently bubbling away on the stove. It will be a beautiful sight.

Next up, using tongs, pull your pasta out of the water rather than draining it & losing all that GREAT pasta water! Gently drop & stir the pasta into the sauce with all the meatballs.

You might want to reserve about ¼ cup of pasta water but transferring the pasta directly into the pan will have some water clinging to it – it will make for a silky spaghetti sauce that will be amazing with your Bison Ricotta Meatballs!

Serve immediately with an extra smattering of fresh basil & a generous sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese – these meatballs will blow your mind & will certainly have you coming back for more!

Bisonte

I’ve read many different variations of what people consider “classic” Italian meatballs – veal, ground beef, ground pork…..seems to me like “classic” is in the eye of the beholder and any ground meat can be transformed into an Italian meatball – just make your own decision & forge your own path!

My Bison Ricotta Meatballs are flavorful, tender, healthy & will surprise you will how light and delicate the Bison tastes!

Adding simple but delicious ingredients help key up the natural taste of the Bison and you won’t be disappointed! The health factor of Bison over Beef is no comparison as well – Riffle Farms humanely raises their herd, allowing the Bison space to roam & freedom to live a life worth living and then praising the animal for harvest.

If you can, check out YOUR local farmer’s market & see what they have to offer. If there is no Bison in your area, then you’re still in luck! Riffle Farms offers their very own Butcher Boxes and they can ship directly to your door! Be sure to check out their website and give them a try if you can!

www.rifflefarms.com