Little Ears with Tiny Meatballs and Shaved Ricotta Salata
Orecchiette are little disks of pasta, each one no bigger than a thumbprint, that are the pride of a Pugliese cook. Handmade from local durum wheat flour, they are a miracle, but you can also buy them as pasta secca from first-rate pasta producers such as Benedetto Cavalieri or Rustichella d’Abruzzo.
Ricotta salata is a firm, somewhat aged ricotta, a southern cheese we think should be better known (see here). Pure white, it grates and shaves nicely and adds depth to anything on which it’s served. If you can’t find ricotta salata, use a young pecorino instead.
SERVES 4 TO 6
FOR THE MEATBALLS
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon Sicilian or Greek oregano
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Freshly grated zest of ½ lemon, preferably organic
Sea salt
½ teaspoon fennel pollen or crushed fennel seeds (optional)
6 ounces (170 grams) lean ground veal or young beef
6 ounces (170 grams) lean ground pork
1 large egg
¼ cup fine dry unflavored bread crumbs
¼ cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely minced
One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
About 1 pound (500 grams) orecchiette
¼ cup finely minced flat-leaf parsley
⅓ to ½ cup coarsely grated aged ricotta salata
Prepare the meatballs: Combine the garlic, oregano, parsley, and lemon zest with ½ teaspoon salt and mince together on a board to make a fine mixture, almost a paste. Add the fennel pollen, if you wish. Combine the ground veal and ground pork and thoroughly knead the herb paste into it, using your hands. Beat the egg lightly with a fork and add to the mixture, then knead in the bread crumbs and grated parmigiano. Shape into a large, round ball and refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, for at least 30 minutes. (You may also do this a day or more ahead.)
When you’re ready to cook, shape the ground meat into tiny meatballs, about the size of your thumbnail. When all the balls are made, add the oil to a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Set over medium heat, and when the oil is hot, quickly brown the meatballs in batches, not crowding them in the pan. As the meatballs finish browning, set them aside.
When all the meatballs are done, discard the oil in the pan and wipe out the pan with paper towels. (Don’t worry about getting all the browned bits on the bottom. They will dissolve into the sauce.) Return to low heat and add the 2 tablespoons oil, the onion, and a pinch of salt. Cook the onion very slowly, stirring, until it is thoroughly softened and just browning a little. Add the tomatoes, with their juice, crushing the tomatoes in your hands as you add them. Raise the heat to medium and cook the tomatoes briskly, further crushing them with a fork or the side of a spoon. Cook until the sauce is thick.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add salt and the pasta and cook following the directions here. At the same time, add the meatballs and the parsley to the simmering tomato sauce. Taste the sauce and add more salt, if necessary, and plenty of pepper.
When the pasta is done, drain and toss in the saucepan with the hot meatball sauce. Transfer to a warm serving bowl and garnish with the grated ricotta salata. Serve immediately, passing more grated ricotta salata, if you wish.