Making meatballs is a great way to stretch the quantity of meat you buy, bulking it out with extra ingredients that bring flavour and boost texture.
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Serves
4
FOR THE MEATBALLS
Pork Mince
Ricotta
Egg
Breadcrumbs
Pecorino Romano
Fennel Seed
Olive Oil
FOR THE BEANS
Garlic Cloves
Tomato Purée
Drained Cooked Butter Beans
Double Cream
Sage
Chilli Flakes
Olive Oil
Serves
4
FOR THE MEATBALLS
Pork Mince
Ricotta
Egg
Breadcrumbs
Pecorino Romano
Fennel Seed
Olive Oil
FOR THE BEANS
Garlic Cloves
Tomato Purée
Drained Cooked Butter Beans
Double Cream
Sage
Chilli Flakes
Olive Oil
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Step 1.
Lightly crush your fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar, if you have one. Leave them whole if not. Now, combine the mince, ricotta, egg, breadcrumbs and fennel in a large bowl. Mix well, then finely grate in the pecorino and season generously with salt and pepper. Vigorously mix for a couple of minutes, until the mixture feels cohesive and a bit sticky.
Step 2.
Wet your hands and roll the mixture into balls about the size of ping-pong balls. Put the meatballs onto a plate and chill for 30 minutes to firm-up. If making ahead, cover and leave in the fridge until the next day.
Step 3.
Finely chop the garlic. Set a large frying pan over a medium heat, add enough oil to lightly coat the base, then fry the meatballs in a single layer in a large frying pan over a medium heat, in batches if needed, for 5-8 mins until nicely browned all over. Transfer to a plate, leaving the fat behind in the pan.
Step 4.
Add the garlic and sage to the pan, then cook over a medium heat for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the tomato purée and a big pinch of chilli flakes, then stir in the beans and cream and season well. Heat the oven to 200°C.
Step 5.
Bring the pan to a simmer, then add the browned meatballs back to the pan with an optional splash of water to loosen just a little (no more than 80ml). Bring the pan back up to a simmer, put the lid on and transfer to the oven for 25-30 mins, or until the meatballs are fully cooked through. You can remove the lid and give the pan a flash under a hot grill to colour if you like, but this isn’t a necessity.
Step 6.
Remove from the oven and finish with extra grated pecorino, a splash more olive oil and a few extra chilli flakes, if you like.
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