- 2 lb ground pork or ground chicken thighs
- 1 cup plain fine dried bread crumbs (Note 1)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 3 Tbsp fresh parsley or dill chopped
- 1 tsp black pepper ground
- 2 tsp kosher salt Morton
- 3 1/2 oz goat cheese soft, plain (Note 3)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
- 5 Tbsp light olive oil or avocado oil plus a little more between batches if the pan looks dry
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 medium carrot finely grated
- 3 jalapenos seeds removed, finely chopped (Note 5)
- 1 garlic clove pressed
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt Morton
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
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Pulse panko or coarse crumbs: if that is what you have, pulse it in a food processor until fine. Fine dried crumbs go in as they are. (Note 1)
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Mix the meatballs: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, combine 2 lb ground pork or ground chicken thighs, 1 cup plain fine dried bread crumbs, 3 large eggs, 2 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp garlic powder, 3 Tbsp fresh parsley or dill, 1 tsp black pepper, and 2 tsp kosher salt. Mix on low just until combined. (Note 2)
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Set up a station: work next to the sink with hot running water, or a bowl of hot water, with the goat cheese and a round bowl of 1 cup all-purpose flour close by.
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Stuff the meatballs: wet your hands with hot water. Flatten 1 to 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture in your palm, place about 1/2 teaspoon of goat cheese in the center, and close the meat around it. Roll between your palms until smooth and round, with no cheese showing. (Note 3)
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Dredge: drop each meatball in the flour, shake off the excess, and set it on a large plate. Repeat with the rest.
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Brown the meatballs: use either method.
Stovetop: heat 5 Tbsp light olive oil or avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the meatballs without crowding, working in batches, and brown them on all sides, covering the pan with a lid between turns. Move them to a plate.
Oven: heat the oven to 425°F. Set the meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake about 20 minutes, until golden, turning each one halfway through. (Note 4)
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Soften the onion: in a large, deep skillet, heat 3 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 medium onion and cook until light golden.
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Add the vegetables: add 1 medium carrot, 3 jalapenos, and 1 garlic clove, and cook 3 to 4 minutes more. Spoon out and discard any excess oil. (Note 5)
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Add the cream: pour in 2 cups whole milk and 2 cups heavy cream, add 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, and simmer on low about 5 minutes to reduce. Keep it at a gentle simmer, not a boil.
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Simmer together: add the browned meatballs and simmer 5 minutes more, until the sauce thickens and the meatballs reach 160°F for pork or 165°F for chicken in the center. (Note 6)
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Cook the pasta: boil your pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, and do not add butter.
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Serve: set pasta in the middle of each bowl, top with 2 to 3 meatballs and the jalapeno cream sauce, and garnish with 2 Tbsp fresh parsley.
1. Bread crumbs: fine dried bread crumbs need no prep. If you only have panko, use about 2 cups and pulse it fine first.
2. Meat: ground pork or ground chicken thighs keep the meatballs juicy. Extra-lean meat dries out.
3. Goat cheese: if it is too soft to pinch, freeze it for 10 to 15 minutes. Cream cheese or cubes of low-moisture mozzarella work in its place.
4. Oil and pans: use light olive oil or avocado oil for browning, since extra virgin olive oil smokes at that heat. On a dark nonstick baking sheet, drop the oven about 25°F or nest it inside a second sheet so the bottoms do not scorch.
5. Heat level: remove every seed and rib for a mild sauce. For more heat, keep some of the seeds or add a fourth jalapeno.
6. Doneness: an instant-read thermometer should read 160°F for pork or 165°F for chicken, measured in the meat, not the cheese.
7. Make ahead: shape and dredge the meatballs up to a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge.
8. Storage: meatballs in sauce keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge; reheat gently with a splash of milk. Browned meatballs freeze up to 3 months, and the sauce is best made fresh.
9. Nutrition: calculated for the meatballs and sauce, without the pasta.