Meatballs w/ Pea Tendrils & Gnocchi

Meatballs w/ Peas & Gnocchi Artisan Restaurant, Paso Robles, CA

Stolen with permission from Chef Chris Kobayashi, Artisan Restaurant, Paso Robles, CA this casually refined recipe embodies the feeling of the restaurant. Artisan is relaxed yet sophisticated, serving imaginative contemporary American cuisine and endeavors to capture the essence of the Paso Robles wine country on every plate. Showcasing locally grown produce and artisanal foods, Executive Chef Chris Kobayashi finds much of the inspiration for his dishes at the farmer’s market and combines regional American flavors in new and innovative ways. The menu features local and organic produce, and proteins that are wild caught or sustainably farmed with no growth hormones or antibiotics.
Large windows give patrons a panoramic view of Paso Robles, while the restaurant’s natural wood and earth tones offer a comfortable, soothing ambience. Chef Kobayashi’s unique approach to the American bistro is displayed in his crispy calamari starter with malted vinegar aioli and chipotle cocktail sauce; and the herb marinated flatiron steak with Bloomsdale spinach, shoestring potatoes and Cabernet butter.
Just as fun and inviting is the way he folds in some Southern flair into select plates, like the pan roasted Dungeness crab cakes with caper-thyme aioli and Tabasco vinaigrette; the seared Yellowfin tuna tartare with fried green tomatoes, rémoulade and cured lemon; and the grilled free range chicken with white cheddar grits, field greens, dry cured ham and bourbon gravy.

About the chef: executive chef and proprietor of Artisan, Chris Kobayashi graduated at the top of his class from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. He has extensive culinary experience, including stints at Asia de Cuba at Clift Hotel and Roy’s in San Francisco as well as at Brix in the Napa Valley. He was executive chef of Robin’s Restaurant in Cambria, California and in 2009 was a James Beard Best Chef Pacific Region semifinalist.
Artisan is a joint venture; a fraternal partnership – Chris’s brother Michael Kobayashi, Artisan’s general manager describes how the venture began: “the concept of Artisan started as a childhood dream for my brother and me. Throughout our teen years, we would hang out in the kitchen discussing exactly how we wanted our first restaurant to look, feel and taste. Artisan is now the true embodiment of these discussions, and we are grateful for the opportunity to share our dream with you.”

Artisan Restaurant
1401 Park Street
Paso Robles, California
805-237-8084

Meatballs with Pea Tendrils is served at Artisan for $15.
This recipe makes 4 restaurant servings.

Ingredients for the Meatballs:
¼ cups milk
¼ cups bread crumbs
¼ cups Parmiggiano-Reggiano, grated or microplaned
1/3 cups fresh ricotta
1/8 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/8 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/8 bunch chopped parsley
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
¼ med onion, small dice
1 clove garlic, minced or microplaned
½ lb ground natural raised pork
½ lb ground pastured veal
½ lb ground grass-fed beef

Ingredients for the Final Dish:
4 oz English peas, cooked
2 oz pea tendrils
8 oz dry shell pasta or gnocchi, cooked and drained
2 oz extra virgin olive oil
3 oz Piave Vecchio or Parmiggiano-Reggiano cheese, grated

Steal This Recipe® Step by Step Instructions:
Sauté onion and garlic and set aside.
Mix together milk and breadcrumbs and add cheeses, herbs, egg, onion/garlic and ground meats.
Combine well and taste for seasoning.
Portion into little meatballs, place on a parchment lined sheet pan and roast in a preheated 450 degree oven for 10 minutes or until just little pink in the center.
To assemble the final dish, sauté the meatballs in a little olive oil and lightly brown the outside in a hot sauté pan. Add English peas, pea tendrils and pasta.
Add grated cheese and serve.