March here is being a little temperamental. It’s hot, it’s cold, it’s wet, it’s dry… all in the same week. We can’t tell if the month is going out like a lion, a lamb, or toddler who can’t make up its mind.
This is an interesting recipe. It looks like good old fashioned meatballs and marinara sauce, but that’s where the similarity ends. How about four different meats, a Mozzarella center, Greek seasoning, and simmered in a sauce that blends chunky salsa with marinara? That’s twisted… hence the name.
One note about serving this: the recipe calls for pappardelle pasta, which is a wide flat pasta made with egg and flour. I couldn’t find it at my local store, so I substituted the one thing that sort of looked like it – egg noodles. It probably changed the overall taste just a little, but it’s the thought that counts.
Adapted from Taste of Home
Twisted Italian Meatballs
Description
An unexpected combination of four meats, a stuffed cheese center, and a sauce that combined chunky salsa with marinara.
Adapted from Taste of Home
Ingredients
Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl add prosciutto, salami, onion, garlic, eggs, Greek seasoning, basil, panko, and Parmesan cheese, and stir until blended. Break up ground beef and Italian sausage into the bowl and mix until thoroughly blended, trying not to work the mixture too much.
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Divide the meat mixture into 15 equal portions (about 2 ounces each). Shape each portion into a ball around a Mozzarella pearl in the center.
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In a 6 quart slow cooker, pour half of the marinara and half of the salsa and stir together. Place the meatballs in a single layer on top of the sauce. Mix the remaining marinara and salsa and pour over the top of the meatballs, evenly covering them.
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Cook on Low for about 6 hours or until the meat is cooked to a temperature of 165 F. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the shredded Mozzarella cheese on top of the meatballs, and prepare the pappardelle pasta according to package directions. Serve immediately after the pasta is ready and the cheese has melted.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 5
Serving Size 3 meatballs + pasta
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 850kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 33.3g52%
- Saturated Fat 11.6g58%
- Cholesterol 349mg117%
- Sodium 2301mg96%
- Potassium 432mg13%
- Total Carbohydrate 86g29%
- Dietary Fiber 5.8g24%
- Sugars 9.5g
- Protein 48.5g97%
- Calcium 233 mg
- Iron 7 mg
- Vitamin D 280 IU
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Notes
- Any of the meats can be substituted. Suggestions:
- Ground chicken
- Ground turkey
- Mild, sweet, or hot Italian sausage
- The cheese stuffing can also be substituted:
- Provolone
- Pepper Jack
- Cheddar
- Mild, medium, or hot salsa can be used
- If pappardelle pasta isn't available, other flat pastas could be used, or even egg noodles (which are on the recipe card)
