Rob Rossi is passionate about food and creating the right atmosphere for people to enjoy it in. In 2017 he closed his five-year-old, critically acclaimed restaurant, Bestellen, to achieve his dreams of opening the sleek, authentic Italian eatery, Giulietta,in the spring of 2018. Rossi’s favourite part? The chef’s bar that offers seating right in the heart of the action. “Part of cooking is entertaining,” says the chef. This new recipe worked. Just months after opening, Giulietta was ranked number five in En Route magazine’s Canada’s Best New Restaurants list.

“Meatballs are one of my favourite dishes to make at home. It reminds me of family and the sense of home. Using local ingredients has always been really important to my cooking, and this recipe is no different. Using local ingredients means supporting our farmers and the amazing crafts they practice each and everyday day. The quality shines and will make your dishes go from good to great!”

Step 1

Combine the veal, ricotta, eggs, cheese, salt, nutmeg and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands until nice and homogenous. Put in fridge for 20-30 minutes to chill.
 

Step 2

Once the mixture is thoroughly chilled, dust a parchment-lined baking sheet with flour. Coat your hands with flour and shape the meat into balls, setting them on the baking sheet. Lightly flour the tops of the meatballs, cover with plastic and chill in fridge for another hour.
 

Step 3

Heat up olive oil to a medium-high heat. Fry meatballs in batches until golden brown.
 

Step 4

Transfer meatballs to your favourite tomato sauce to continue cooking. Once they are all fried and in the sauce, cook for an additional 30 minutes on low.
 

Step 5

Enjoy these meatballs on their own, with your favourite veg or serve on a plate with a generous amount of sauce and chopped parsley and a good sprinkling of your favourite aged Ontario cheddar.