- 6
Ingredients
- For meatballs:
- • Non-stick cooking spray
- • 1 pound lean ground beef
- • 4 eggs
- • 1 cup seasoned fine dry bread crumbs
- • 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- • 1/4 cup milk
- • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- • 1 tablespoon water
- • 2 cups vegetable oil or peanut oil
- For red pepper sauce:
- • 1 jar (7 1⁄4-ounce) roasted red peppers, drained
- • 1/2 cup Catalina salad dressing
- • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- • Fresh thyme sprigs
Preparation
Step 1
For zesty fried meatballs: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. In a bowl, combine ground beef, 3 eggs, 3/4 cup bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, milk, and Italian seasoning. Form into 1-inch meatballs. In a bowl, beat together 1 egg and water. Place 1/4 cup bread crumbs in another bowl. Dip meatballs into egg mixture, then roll in bread crumbs.
In a heavy saucepan, heat oil over high heat. Working in batches, add meatballs to hot oil. Fry until golden brown. Remove meatballs; drain well. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked through (160 degrees F).
For red pepper sauce, in a blender, combine roasted peppers, salad dressing, and Italian seasoning. Cover and blend until smooth. Serve meatballs with sauce. Garnish with fresh thyme.