Meatballs with Tomato and Chocolate Sauce, and Fruity Flourless Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
You guys, it is officially “The Holidays.”
*Colavita and Perugina sponsored this post in partnership with Honest Cooking. As always, all views expressed are completely my own.
How are we at the end of the year already?! Am I the only one that feels like 2015 was a blur? In any event, lets talk about holiday meals—specifically, Italian-style holiday meals!
I paired up with Colavita and Perugina to create two crazy tasty Italian dishes that would be an awesome addition to any holiday table! I wanted to do something a bit unique, so I included olive oil and chocolate in both courses (trust me here you guys…it sounds strange, but this works, and it works well).
To start, how about some of the best meatballs you will ever try? They’re made with a mixture of beef and pork, or ultra tenderness. I’ve used ciabatta soaked in milk, and an egg as the binding agents. I find that the tears of bread result in a much more pleasant texture than bread crumbs. Inside I’ve also added sautéed onions, fresh thyme, and some cumin and cinnamon for a little holiday warmth.
The sauce is where things get really interesting…I’ve added grated Perugina dark chocolate straight into the tomato base! It sounds strange, but its adds such a rich depth of flavor! It’s not chocolate-y at all, just deep and rich. Plus, when I told my mom about my recipe, she told me that my grandma always added a bit of chocolate to her red sauce! Apparently I’m not as original as I had hoped 😛
These meatballs make a fantastic appetizer at a holiday party, or serve them over some spaghetti. I turned some of the leftover into meatball subs with melted provolone cheese on top. It was insanely tasty!!
And for desert? The most decadent chocolate cake—is there anything better? Seriously, guys…this cake is crazy fudgy. It’s completely flourless, and oh-so-rich. The chocolates I chose to use in it are flavored with lemon and orange, and they play so nicely with the fruity olive oil!
I serve it with a snowy white dusting of powdered sugar, and a dollop of creme fraiche. The slight tang and creaminess of the creme fraiche cuts the richness just enough. Cut this cake into thin slices because I’m not kidding when I say a little goes a long way!
Guess what? Colavita and Perugina want to share the awesome products I used here (and MORE) with you! You can enter below for a chance to when a gift basket full of amazing products from both Colavita and Perugina!
Ingredients
-
For the meat balls:
- 2 cups Ciabatta bread, crusts removed and torn into small pieces
- ½ cup milk
- 2 and ½ tbsp Colavita extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 small sweet onion, chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ lb. ground beef
- ½ lb. ground pork
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 large egg
- salt and freshly-ground pepper
-
For the sauce:
- 28 oz. Colavita crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 squares (0.7 oz.) Perugina 70% bittersweet chocolate, grated or finely chopped
- salt and freshly-ground pepper
Instructions
-
For the meat balls:
- Add the bread to a small bowl, and pour the milk over top. Allow to soak for at least 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a dutch oven, and heat over medium-high heat. Add in the onions and sauté for a couple minutes. Add in the garlic, cumin, and cinnamon, and sauté for 2-3 more minutes. Remove half of the mixture from the pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the meats, soaked bread, thyme, ½ the onion mixture, egg, and lots of salt and pepper. Gently combine with your hands, and stick in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Using a small cookie scoop (about 1 to 2 tablespoon-sized), scoop the mixture into balls and place on a baking sheet. Place in the fridge while you start the sauce.
For the sauce:
- To the pot with half of the onion mixture, add in the tomato paste and bring back up to medium-high heat. Add in the crushed tomatoes and cook until simmering. Add in the chocolate and stir until the sauce is uniform. Season with lots of salt and pepper. Allow to simmer on low while you begin to cook the meatballs.
- In a large skillet (cast iron is best), heat the remaining 1 and ½ tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the meatballs, and brown on all sides. Carefully, pour the hot sauce into the pan, and simmer until the meatballs have cooked through.
PrintFruity Flourless Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Yield: 8-10 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3.5 oz. Perugina Dark Chocolate Limoncello Chocolate Bar, finely chopped
- 3.5 oz. Perugina Dark Chocolate Orangello Chocolate Bar, finely chopped
- ½ cup Colavita 100% Argentinian Fruity Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- confectioners’ sugar, to serve
- crème fraîche, to serve
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 9-inch spring form pan with a bit of olive oil. Line the bottom with parchment paper, and grease the paper.
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt together the chocolate and olive oil for 30 seconds; stir very well, then return to the microwave in 10 second bursts, if needed, until fully melted.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the chocolate/olive oil mixture, and the sugar and salt until cool. Add in the eggs one a time, mixing well after each addition. Add in the cocoa powder and mix until combined. Scrape into the prepared pan. Rap it a few times on the counter to release any air bubbles.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Allow to fully cool before removing from pan and peeling off the parchment from the bottom. Sift confectioners’ sugar over top, and serve with crème fraîche.
