Chicken & Ricotta Meatballs With Green Spaghetti

Chop the chicken thigh fillets into pieces, then transfer to a food processor. Zest in the lemon, then add half of the ricotta, a pinch of salt, and 15 twists of black pepper. Pulse until you have a smooth paste. Grate in a third of the Parmesan, add the breadcrumbs, then finely chop the parsley and add that, too. Give it a stir so it’s all combined.

Roll the mixture into even-sized balls. Pop on a baking tray and transfer to the fridge. Chill for 15 mins to firm up.

Meanwhile, give your food processor a good clean, then add the watercress, basil, sunflower seeds, peeled garlic clove and remaining 50g Parmesan. Whizz to form a smooth green paste, then drizzle in the olive oil so that you have a smooth sauce. Squeeze in the juice from the zested ½ lemon and add the remaining ricotta, pulse the machine briefly, then season with salt.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Season it with salt as though it were a soup you were about to eat.

Heat a splash of olive oil in a large sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the chilled meatballs to the pan and cook for about 10 mins, turning them frequently so that they cook evenly and take on some colour.

Meanwhile, add the spaghetti to the pan of boiling water. Cook the pasta for a couple of minutes less than pack instructions, or until it is just al dente.

Once cooked, transfer the spaghetti directly into the meatball pan using tongs, along with a ladleful of the pasta cooking water. Add the pesto to the pan and give it a good toss, so each strand of spaghetti is coated in the green sauce. Add as much pasta water as you need to get the sauce glossy. Adjust the seasoning if needed.

Divide the spaghetti and meatballs between plates. Serve sprinkled with extra Parmesan.