Baked ricotta meatballs with chickpeas and broccolini

Baked ricotta meatballs with chickpeas and broccolini

Mar 27 2021

u

30 mn

Serves 5

I read about this recipe the other day in a cookbook that I highly recommend (Yasmin Fahr’s Keeping It Simple) for which I have cooked so may things already. I just added some chickpeas to her recipes for extra veggies.

Ingredients

  • 14 oz of broccolini
  • 1 lemon, sliced and ends trimmed
  • 1 14oz can of chickpea, drained and rinsed
  • 1 lb of ground chicken
  • 1 egg
  • 2 garlic
  • 3/4 cup of ricotta (I used a vegan one here and it was super delicious)
  • 3/4 cup of panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp of Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp of chili powder
  • 1 tsp of salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup of fresh italian parsley, chopped
  • 3 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp of chili flakes

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

On a baking sheet, toss the broccolini and lemon slices with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt, pepper and the chili flakes flakes. Spread evenly on the baking sheet and set aside while you make the meatballs.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg, then add the crushed garlic, ricotta, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 of the parsley, pepper, breadcrumbs and meat, and use your hands to gently combine it (too much mushing will make them tough and dry). Using an ice cream scooper  from the meatballs and gently roll them into twenty loose—not tightly packed—rounds, slightly smaller than golf balls.

Nestle the meatballs on the baking sheet in between the broccoli and lemon pan dadd the chickpeas. Sprinkle a few pinches of salt, pepper and the chili powder.

Bake until the meatballs are browned and cooked through and the broccolini crispy, 15 to 20 minutes, shaking the baking sheet to move the meatballs and turning the tray around halfway to ensure even cooking.

Remove from the oven, sprinkle the rest of the parsley and some parmesan if you want and enjoy! I served this dish with brown rice pasta and it paired really nicely together.

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