Gluten Free Teriyaki and Ricotta Meatballs

I love meatballs and pasta sauce; they were one of the meals when I was a kid. A few days ago I saw a meatball recipe on TV and wanted to make a variation on traditional meatballs. The meatball recipe is based on one of Rachael Ray's (link here) recipes. Instead of cooking them in tomato sauce, I saute the meatballs in a teriyaki sauce for a few minutes and serve it with rice. Its a nice combination of Italian and Asian flavors that any pork lover would like. Also, if you have any fresh parsley or oregano feel free to replace the dry herbs with them.

Yields: ~21 meatballs

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Meatball Ingredients:

6 tbsp gluten free Glutino bread crumbs

1 lb ground pork

4 oz pancetta, diced finely

1 egg

2/3 cup ricotta cheese

1 tsp parsley

1 tbsp oregano

4 leaves fresh basil

1 tbsp onion powder

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Teriyaki Ingredients:

5 tbsp gluten free soy sauce

1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp white wine

1 tsp paprika

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium pan over medium heat, cook the pancetta until browned. Remove the pancetta from the pan and let cool for about 5 minutes.

3. In a medium bowl, mix the all of the meatball ingredients until thoroughly mixed and evenly distributed. 

4. Form meatballs in your hands, about the size of your palm (about 2 inches wide), and place onto the cookie sheet an inch apart from one another. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, flipping them in between. 

5. While the meat balls are cooking, combine all the teriyaki ingredients in the pan that you cooked the pancetta in. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, leaving on low while the meatballs cook.

6. When the meatballs are done, place in the teriyaki sauce and saute on low heat for about 2-3 minutes. Serve with white or brown rice.

I hope you enjoy! Let me know your opinions on the recipe!