1. Prep the meatball mixture.

In a large mixing bowl, combine well using a spatula spoon or your hands:

• 1/2 onion finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 egg yolk
• 7 cloves garlic
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley
• 1 tsp salt (3/4 tsp if using pork)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan)
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 lb ground beef (80/20) or pork

2. Preheat the pan.

Set your pasta water on to boil now.

Next, for the meatballs, get out a large sauté pan. I use a pan with a 12-inch bottom. You can use cast iron, but the white wine and the lemon can strip the seasoning, so I usually go with a pan with a stainless steel surface.  

Get 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in the pan and allow it to heat up a bit over medium heat. 

3. Use two spoons to form tiny meatballs.

Aim for each meatball to be about 1 tbsp in size. You can do this with two spoons or a tiny scooper if you have one. For 2 spoons – use one to scoop up the mixture and the second to scrape it off the spoon.

Scoop the meatballs directly into the hot pan. Once you’re finished, let them cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until they have browned on the bottom. No need to flip them around – you’re just browning the one side.

I suggest tipping one of the meatballs over just to ensure there is some good browning on the bottom before you move on to the next step. If you skip the browning, it’s not the end of the world, but the meatballs will definitely be less flavorful.

4. Add wine.

Add 1/2 cup dry white wine. Let it cook down for about 2-3 minutes so that the alcohol cooks off. Then add your 1 cup of chicken broth. Bring to a simmer. Cover and allow the meatballs to cook for about 10 minutes over low-medium heat. 

If you’re making dry pasta, now is the time to put it in the boiling water.

5. After 10 minutes, remove the lid.

Allow the liquid around the meatballs to reduce for 2-3 minutes. You want some liquid remaining because it will become the sauce for your pasta. Then sprinkle everything with the 1/2 lemon (about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice). 

6. Enjoy!

Either (a) put the meatballs on the table for everyone to take as they please; (b) top the meatballs with grated cheese and set it on the table for everyone to take as they please; or (c) drain your cooked pasta and dump it into the pan and toss, then top it all with cheese.

If your children are lunatics like mine, you’d better choose option (a) – because if you let any of the foods touch one another, it’s game over for the evening. Don’t even put the cheese on the meatballs. Keep the meatball pan separate from the grated cheese separate from the pasta tossed in olive oil. Best if they don’t even see you put the olive oil on the pasta. OMG.