Here they are! These are the ricotta and vegetable balls most original in the world. 😃 Actually no, they are the ricotta and vegetable balls most economical in the world! I mean, the ricotta and vegetable balls most…
Well, now let me tell you…
A few weeks ago I was “wandering” through the cooking groups I am part of. It’s still one of my favorite pastimes, watching and reading recipes. 🙂
And I stumbled upon a comment from my friend Rossana. The comment more or less said: “guess what I came up with to make the meatballs today, with the vegetables from the vegetable broth”.
You know the comics, I imagine. The ones where a lit light bulb is drawn over the character’s head. There you go! I immediately felt like that! I immediately said “go Rossana!! wow!! this idea will be mine!”.
Because what to do with the vegetables from the vegetable broth is, or rather was, one of my little dilemmas.
In fact – as I have told you on several occasions (for example in the recipe for the Asparagus gnocchi) cooking in water disperses flavors, and for those who do not use salt it is certainly not a recommended method of cooking.
And the vegetables from the vegetable broth, once the broth is produced, no longer have all that flavor, besides the fact that they are mushy, and eating them in that state doesn’t give much satisfaction, do you agree?
But anti-waste champions like me are certainly not willing to throw them away. Also because they still remain a source of fiber.
So far, the only use (the most obvious and least imaginative) I had always exploited was to blend them and add them to the minestrone, or in legume soups to thicken the soups blending them together with part of the legumes.
But not anymore. I experimented with this ball use after cooking the barley and red lentil soup. I had told you right there in that recipe, that I had removed the vegetables on purpose for another use. And here is the other use!
And after that day, I’ve already repeated these balls twice. Ahhhh, and who can stop us now? 😃
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 10
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Anti-waste
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- mixed cooked vegetables (from the vegetable broth: 1 carrot, 1 stalk of celery, 1 potato, 1 onion)
- 7 oz ricotta
- as needed breadcrumbs
- nutmeg
- pepper
- cornmeal (for breading)
Tools
- Frying Pan
Steps
Mash the vegetables into a coarse puree.
👉 The vegetables used are well cooked and soft. For this reason, they can be mashed simply with a fork, and it is not necessary to blend them or pass them through a vegetable mill.
Add the ricotta and mix it well with the vegetables.
Season with pepper to taste and a generous grating of nutmeg.
👉 If you like the taste of nutmeg… be generous.
Add enough breadcrumbs to obtain a mixture of the right consistency.
👉 The amount of breadcrumbs can vary depending on the quantity and type of vegetables used: if the potato is not used, for example, more bread will need to be added. But it can also depend on the moisture present in the mixture: if the vegetables are well-drained or if, on the contrary, they are very wet, the amount of breadcrumbs will need to be adjusted accordingly.
Form the balls with your hands and roll them in cornmeal, fully coating them.
Brown the balls in the oven or in a pan.
👉 I browned them in a nonstick pan with just a little bit of oil, but they turn out very well in the oven too.
The beauty of these balls is that they don’t need actual cooking: it will be enough to brown the breading, which thanks to the cornmeal, will be beautifully crunchy.
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Salt-Free Tips
If you, like me, do not use salt, you certainly know that the best and simplest way to flavor without adding salt is to use spices. Nutmeg fits well with ricotta recipes, I recommend it to flavor these ricotta and vegetable balls.
If you are interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▫ Gradually reduce the salt, the palate needs to get used gradually and should not notice the progressive reduction.
▫ Use spices. Chili, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
▫ Use herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
▫ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
▫ Use spicy vegetables or fruit. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
▫ Use my salt-free vegetable granules and gomasio.
▫ Prefer fresh foods.
▫ Avoid cooking in water, prefer cooking methods that do not disperse flavors (grill, baking paper, steam, microwave)
▫ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
▫ Occasionally allow yourself a break from the rules. It is good for the mood and helps to persevere.
If you do not want, or cannot, give up salt:
▫ You can still try my recipes by salting according to your habits.
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In my new WhatsApp channel and on Instagram, on the Facebook page and Pinterest, in my two groups: Catia’s Group, in the kitchen and beyond and Just what I was looking for! and if you want… subscribe to my Newsletter.
