Recipe - Polpette con Sugo (Meatballs with sauce)

Serves - 4 | Prepare - 45 mins | Level - Beginner

What you’ll need

For the meatballs

• 400g minced veal (pork or beef can be used too)

• 1 egg

• 1 small onion finely diced or grated

• 75g breadcrumbs

• Zest of a lemon

• a bunch of parsley finely chopped

• 1/2 tsp salt and a good pinch of pepper

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil

For the tomato sauce

• 400g tomato passata

• 1 onion diced

• 2 gloves of garlic

• A handful of basil

• Salt and pepper

Method

Step 1

In a large bowl add the mince, the onion, breadcrumbs, egg, salt and pepper. Then grate the zest of the lemon and add the chopped parsley. Combine all the ingredients together.

Step 2

Shape your meatballs: taking a small amount of the mince roll to form equal size balls (these should be the size of a golf ball)

Step 3

In a large frying pan or casserole heat the oil then add the meatballs (don't over fill the pan, cook in batches if needed). Allow the meatballs to brown before turning them over aprox 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.

Step 4

Make the sauce:

In the same pan fry the onion & garlic until softened. Add the tomatoes, (rinse the tin/jar out and add the water to the sauce) and simmer for about 8-10 minutes.

Step 5

Add the meatballs into the sauce, stir together and continue to simmer on a low heat until the sauce thickens and the meatballs are cooked through around 8-10mins. Add the basil at the end.