*This post is sponsored by Mama Francesca
I have been looking forward to sharing with you all week my new partnership with Mama Francesca Grated Cheese. The company reached out to me to share about their beautiful product and I couldn’t wait to start cooking with it and showing it off on our site.
Have you heard of Mama Francesca? It is a delicious new grated cheese that comes in five different varieties. I am showcasing three flavors that I found at my own store. The ones pictured here are: Aromatico (Parmesan, Basil & Oregano), Fiero (Parmesan & Red Pepper), & Pungente (Parmesan & Garlic). As you can see from the picture, the cheese is light and fluffy while blended with delicious spices that you can see and taste in your dishes.
You can also find Audace (Parmesan & Romano), and Perfetto (Classic Parmesan) on your store shelves.
Many times when we think of parmesan cheese, we think of it as a way to just dress our dishes. With these fun cheese blends though, they offer a delicious ingredient alternative in your favorite recipes that, not only add flavor, but can save you time in the kitchen since they incorporate that perfect blend of spices.
My family is a big fan of pasta and meatballs. I wanted to create that familiar dish that we love, but in a gluten-free variety using Mama Francesca’s cheese as the inspiration for our new dish. I replaced the spices and cheese with the Aromatico (Parmesan, Basil & Oregano) cheese blend and then replaced the breadcrumbs in these meatballs with a little gluten-free panko. The replacement of spices and cheese saved me time digging through my spice rack and the cheese blend managed to still perfectly spice our meatballs. When it comes to meatballs, I recommend doubling these to enjoy a delicious meatball sub for a busy weeknight meal- topped with sauce & cheese.
With this dish, you can use any variety of gluten-free pasta shape you love. Rotini, shells, and elbow macaroni are three of my favorites in this dish. The pasta can be tossed gently in this delicate fresh tomato sauce.
Of course, just because you use the cheese in the meatballs doesn’t mean you can’t shake on the cheese liberally over your plates of pasta. Set out a few varieties of cheese and let your family member’s customize their dishes for a fun family meal!
I hope you will give Mama Francesca a try for your next family dinner! I promise that this cheese does not disappoint!
Gluten-Free Meatball & Pasta Recipe
Recipe Type: Main
Author: Amy Clark
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
A gluten-free meatball & pasta dish that is just as delicious as the gluten-filled version.
- Gluten-Free Pasta With Meatballs
- ¼ cup gluten-free panko
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- ¾ cup Mama Francesca Aromatico (Parmesan, Basil & Oregano) Grated Cheese
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound Sweet Italian Turkey Sausages (remove the casings)
- 1½ cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 pound gluten-free pasta (any variety)
- In a medium bowl, stir together the panko , parsley, eggs, milk, ketchup, cheese, salt, and pepper. Add the turkey and gently stir to combine.
- Make your meatballs the standard size and put them on a baking sheet.
- Bake at 400 degrees for ten to fifteen minutes.
- In a large pot, heat your olive oil and then heat your garlic for about thirty seconds. Next, heat chicken stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, as directed on the packaging directions of your favorite pasta variety.
- Drain the pasta and rinse well with warm water. Add the meatball mixture and garnish with fresh parsley and more cheese.
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