Party-Perfect Meatballs

By jeknudson

These Party-Perfect Meatballs make for an awesome appetizer! Your guests will be begging for the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 1/2 small red onions, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 3/4 cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1/3 cup hot pepper jelly

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Pulse first 5 ingredients in a food processor 8 to 10 times or until chopped. Stir together Panko, next 6 ingredients, and olive mixture in a large bowl until well combined. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls, and place 1-inch apart on aluminum foil-lined jelly-roll pans.

Bake at 450°F. for 12 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan over medium heat 2 minutes. Add tomato paste to dry pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes or until paste begins to brown and coat bottom of pan. Increase heat to high, and add beef broth, stirring to loosen bits of tomato paste from bottom of pan. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in hot pepper jelly until combined. Reduce heat to low. Add cooked meatballs, and serve warm.

Note: Sauce may be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days.