The Briny Lemon: Mascarpone Meatballs in Romano Cheese Broth

Cheese-stuffed meatballs are extra rich and pleasantly salty—and, of course, delicious. I’ve added Parmesan, Romano, and mozzarella to a meatball mix, but never mascarpone. This wonderfully sweet Italian cream cheese is a bit stiffer than the American version, but that means it helps hold the meatballs together during cooking—and so does refrigeration. I always like to give meatballs time to chill before cooking, no matter the ingredients.

Instead of a sauce, the pasta and meatballs here are served in a cheesy broth—yes, more cheese, in the form of melted Romano. But take note: The chunks of Romano will melt—just not all the way. As the broth simmers, mash the pieces a little with the back of a spoon to help break them up, but some will remain when the meatballs are finished cooking. Serve little pieces along with the broth and discard any larger ones.

Tip: I didn’t specify a pasta amount in this recipe because it depends on the number of meatballs per serving. The meat-mascarpone mixture makes 16, about one-and-a-half-inch in diameter. Hearty eaters will want three or four. Two will be satisfying for others. Regardless, plan on two ounces of pasta for each serving.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

4 oz mascarpone cheese
1 lb ground beef
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup panko (or other dry breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup finely grated Romano cheese
1/2 tsp dried oregano
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 1-X-2-inch pieces of Romano cheese
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus more for serving
2 tbsp small thyme leaves, plus more for serving
cooked, drained whole-wheat fettuccine, for serving

Shredded Romano Cheese and Romano Pieces

Preparation

Place the mascarpone in a large bowl and let stand 30 minutes (to soften and warm a bit). Add the ground beef, egg yolk, panko, grated Romano cheese, and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into 16 meatballs (about 1-1/2-inch diameter) and place on a plate. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Mascarpone

Beef-Mascarpone Mixture

Meatballs Ready to Chill

Heat a Dutch oven (or large, deep skillet) over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the meatballs and sear, turning 3-4 times, until browned on all sides, 6-7 minutes.
Add the broth and pieces of Romano cheese. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, occasionally mashing and breaking the cheese pieces as they melt. Stir in the parsley and thyme.