Nonna’s Polpettine (Small meatballs)
Inroduction
About this Recipe
By: Sheridan Rogers
This is one of the recipes Justine Schofield (a finalist in the first MasterChef series) demonstrated at the Campsie Food Festival. The Festival is a celebration of all things multicultural and delicious. The main street (Beamish Street) is closed to traffic as people sample dishes from Korea, Japan, Thailand, Hungary, Turkey, Fiji, China, Indonesia and more.
Ingredients
- pork mince 500g
- beef mince 500g
- eggs 2, beaten
- parmesan cheese 1/4 cup, finely grated
- fresh ricotta 3/4 cup
- flat leaf parsley 1/2 cup, leaves only, chopped
- thyme 2 sprigs, leaves only
- onion 1 small, peeled and finely chopped
- garlic 2 cloves, peeled and crushed
- tomato paste 1 teaspoon
- chilli 1, seeds removed, finely chopped (optional)
- olive oil 30ml
- garlic 2 cloves, finely chopped
- onion 1, peeled and finely chopped
- anchovy fillets 3
- bay leaves 2
- large ripe tomatoes 3, diced
- dry white wine 1/2 cup
- tomato passata (or puree) 700ml
- fresh basil 1/2 bunch, leaves torn
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
Serves 8 To make the sauce: heat the oil in a large heavy based saucepan. On medium low heat fry the onion, garlic and anchovies until soft. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves and soften slightly. Add the white wine and cook off for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the passata. Fill the empty jar half way up with water and add to the tomato sauce. Bring to the boil and then turn down to a low heat. Simmer for 1 hour. For the polpettine: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and soften onion, chilli and garlic. Remove from pan and cool slightly. In a medium bowl, mix veal and pork mince with beaten eggs, ricotta, parmesan, parsley, thyme, tomato paste, the onion mixture and salt and pepper. With your hands combine well. Form the mixture into small balls. Drizzle oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the small meatballs until golden. Add to the tomato sauce. Cook on low heat for another 40 minutes. Serve with penne pasta.