Mighty meaty
INGREDIENTS
(Serves 4)
200g minced beef; 200g minced pork; 200g ricotta cheese; 2 onions, diced; 4 garlic cloves, crushed; 1tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary; 80g Parmesan cheese, grated; 40g fresh fine breadcrumbs; 1 medium free-range egg, beaten; 75g polenta; 1-2tbsp olive oil; 50g salted butter, plus; 1tbsp (optional); 400g cavolo nero, roughly chopped; Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the rosemary tomato sauce:
1tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary; 400g can cherry tomatoes; 1tbsp tomato puree
METHOD
1. Place the beef, pork, ricotta, onions, garlic, rosemary, Parmesan, breadcrumbs and beaten egg in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Using your hands, shape into 30 meatballs and transfer to a plate. Cover with cling-film and place in the fridge for one hour, to set, so that they don’t crumble during cooking. You can also leave the meatballs in the fridge for up to three days, or freeze them for up to a month, until you are ready to cook them.
2. While the meatballs are chilling, make the rosemary tomato sauce. Place a saucepan over a low heat and add the oil, then stir in the onion, garlic and rosemary and simmer for two minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato puree, season with salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
For the polenta. Pour 600ml water into a saucepan over a medium heat and season with salt and pepper. Once the water has come to the boil, whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for about 25 minutes, stirring every five minutes. Once it has cooked, stir in a tablespoon of olive oil or butter. 4. Now back to the meatballs. Place a frying pan over a medium heat and pour in one tablespoon of olive oil, add the meatballs and brown on all sides. Then spoon the meatballs into the tomato rosemary sauce and cook for 15 minutes.
Place the cavolo nero in a pan over a medium heat with the butter and season with salt and pepper. Cook for five minutes, turning the leaves with tongs so they cook evenly.
Divide the polenta between four warmed bowls, followed by the meatballs, an extra spoonful of the rosemary tomato sauce and the cavolo nero.