Lamb Meatballs with Artichokes and Olives

These succulent, fork-tender meatballs cook directly in the sauce—no browning required. Flavored with capers, black olives, fennel seed, oregano, and hot red pepper, the sauce tastes like you learned it from your Sicilian grandmother. You can substitute frozen baby artichoke hearts, but they are pre-cooked and only need to heat through. Serve with orzo, tossing the pasta with a little of the flavorful lamb sauce before spooning the meatballs and vegetables on top. Open a Zinfandel or Petite Sirah. From Wine Country Table by Janet Fletcher (Rizzoli).

Meatballs:

  • 1 pound ground lamb

  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten

  • 1/2 cup finely minced yellow onion

  • 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs

  • 1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper


  • 1 quart peeled, seeded, and diced fresh plum tomatoes or 1 can (28 oz) plum tomatoes

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano

  • 1 teaspoon ground fennel seed

  • Pinch of hot pepper flakes, optional

  • Kosher or sea salt

  • Pinch of baking soda, or more as needed

  • 1 tablespoon salt-packed capers, rinsed and chopped

  • 2 dozen oil-cured olives, pitted

  • ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley


  • 2 large artichokes

  • 1 lemon, halved

  • 1/3 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese

Prepare the meatballs: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and blend well with your hands. Shape into 16 meatballs of equal size. Set the meatballs on a tray and refrigerate while you prepare the sauce.

Prepare the tomato sauce: If you are using canned plum tomatoes, put the contents of the can in a blender and blend until smooth. In a large skillet that can accommodate all the meatballs and artichokes, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes or tomato puree and bring to a simmer. Add the oregano, rubbing it between your fingers to release its fragrance, then add the ground fennel, hot pepper flakes, and salt to taste. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the sauce is smooth, thick, and tasty, about 30 minutes, adding water as needed if the sauce threatens to cook dry. If you are using canned tomatoes, the sauce will probably be too tart; stir in a pinch of baking soda and cook for another minute or two. Taste and add more baking soda if needed to make the flavor more mellow. Stir in the capers, olives, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Keep warm over low heat.

Prepare the artichokes: Fill a large bowl with cold water and add the juice of ½ lemon. Pull back the outer leaves of each artichoke until they snap at the base. Continue removing leaves until you reach the pale green, tender inner leaves. With a large, sharp knife, cut about 1 inch off the top of each artichoke; remove the stem at the base. Rub the cut surfaces with the other lemon half. With a small knife, pare the base of each artichoke, removing any dark green parts to reveal the pale yellow-green bottom. Halve each artichoke lengthwise. With a small spoon, scrape out the hairy choke and prickly inner leaves with sharp tips. Cut each half in 6 wedges and immediately place them in the lemon water to prevent browning. Set an inverted plate in the bowl to keep the wedges submerged.

Drain the artichoke wedges and add them to the skillet. Stir to coat them with the sauce, then cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes, adding water to thin the sauce as needed. Add the meatballs, cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes, then use 2 spoons to turn them over in the sauce. Cover and continue cooking until the artichokes are tender and the meatballs are fully cooked, about 10 minutes longer, adjusting the sauce with water if needed.

Divide the meatballs and artichokes among 4 bowls. Top each portion with some of the grated pecorino and remaining chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Serves 4

Don’t Throw It Away: When trimming the artichokes for this recipe, save the outer leaves in a plastic bag. Steam them the following day and serve with aioli, vinaigrette, or another dipping sauce.