LAVO Meatball Recipe

angled shot of lavo one pound meatball over pasta in bowl

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: lavo meatballs

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1

Servings:

Calories: 1334kcal

Author: Chef Jessica Anne

The best GIANT meatball you will ever eat.

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Equipment

Ingredients

1 cup fresh Italian bread no crust, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup whole milk
1 cup extra virgin olive oil , divided
1/2 cup yellow onion , minced
4 large garlic cloves , minced
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 eggs
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese , freshly and finely grated
1/2 cup dry seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons fresh flat parsley , finely chopped, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh basil , finely chopped
2 pounds ground meatloaf mix* (veal, pork, and beef)
4 cups favorite marinara sauce , homemade or bottled
1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Instructions

In a small bowl, soak the fresh bread cubes in the milk for 10 minutes. Squeeze and drain milk, reserving the bread. Set aside.
In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic until soft, approximately 3-4 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, dry breadcrumbs, fresh parsley and basil. Stir in the soaked bread and onion mixture. It will form a paste.
Add the ground meat mixture, breaking it into smaller pieces as you add it to the binder. Using your hands, mix until well combined and form into one large ball. Divide the meat mixture into thirds.
From each third into a large meatball by tossing it from hand to hand and packing. Transfer to a large plate.
Refrigerate the meatballs for a minimum of one hour, but as much as overnight to bind.
When ready to make, preheat the oven to 350°F. The meatballs might need to reformed a bit. Transfer them to a cast iron skillet or casserole dish, allowing at least 2 inches between them. Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove at 30 minutes, try to ladle out any large bits of oil. Top the meatballs with your favorite marinara sauce. Return to the oven for a minimum of 30 minutes or until they have reached an internal temperature of 140°F using a digital thermometer.
Remove and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the ricotta cheese in a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and using a whisk attachment, whisk until it is smooth and frothy.
Top each meatball with a large dollop of cold, whipped ricotta cheese and more freshly chopped parsley and/or basil. Meatballs can be served as the entree with a side of crusty bread or on top of your favorite pasta.
If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Notes

If you can not find this exact mix, use all beef in an 8-/20 mix or 1 pound of ground beef and 1 pound of ground pork.

Nutrition