Ingredients
- 2 heads cauliflower, cut into large pieces, remove stems
- 4 cups of panko bread crumbs, add more if consistency is too moist
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 small onion minced
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese or ricotta
- 2 tbsp chopped garlic
- 4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 6 basil leaves chopped
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1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
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1 small onion, chopped
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2 tbsp garlic, chopped
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1 large can San Marzano tomatoes D.O.P. (or canned plum tomatoes)
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Salt and pepper to taste
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1 tsp red pepper flakes
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Freshly grated Parmigiano cheese, for sprinkling
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
For the meatballs: coat chopped cauliflower with garlic and olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper, roast in oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool. Then transfer to a food processor and pulse until smooth but not completely liquid.
Step 2
Take a sauté pan and add olive oil over medium heat for two minutes, add minced onions and sauté until translucent. Add chopped garlic and sauté for another minute. Pull off fire and let cool. Garlic and onions should be fragrant. Add chopped basil.
Step 3
In a bowl, add pureed cauliflower, bread crumbs eggs, parmesan cheese, mascarpone cheese, sautéed onions, salt, garlic and basil mixture and mix well. If mixture is correct you should be able to form a meatball that holds its shape and isn’t too soft.
Step 4
Cook’s Note: If your mixture has a lot of moisture you may need to add more bread crumbs. Mix well until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. With your hands, shape the meatballs into the size of golf balls. Sautee in olive oil and either simmer in the sauce or bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes then add to sauce.
Step 5
For the san Marzano marinara sauce: In a large saucepan heat up olive oil. Sauté the onions and add the chopped garlic and pepper flakes. Add the san Marzano tomatoes that have been crushed with your hands or Wisk. Bring the mixture to a light boil, then turn the heat to medium. Season to taste with the salt and pepper. Add the meatballs to the sauce and allow to cook for approximately 15 minutes. Plate and garnish the Parmesan cheese and chopped basil.