PORK AND FENNEL MEATBALL SOUP

A meal in a bowl, this is great for feeding a crowd.

PREP TIME: 30 minutes COOKING TIME: 50 minutes

Serves four to six

INGREDIENTS

For the soup

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 large celery stalk, chopped 1 carrot, peeled and chopped 2 large cloves of garlic,

finely chopped

1 x 400g tin of plum tomatoes, chopped

2 tsp sugar 200ml cream (regular

or double) 400-600ml chicken stock 150g spaghetti, broken into bits

For the meatballs

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped 1 large clove of garlic, crushed

or finely grated

2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted

and ground 450g minced pork

15g butter

To serve A couple of handfuls of finely grated parmesan 1 tbsp chopped parsley METHOD

Place the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium

heat and add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Season, cover with a butter

wrapper or a piece of parchment paper, and the saucepan lid, then turn the heat down to low and cook for about 10-12 minutes,

until the vegetables are tender, stirring every few minutes to prevent

them sticking. Add the tomatoes and sugar, season again and cook over a medium to high heat, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, until the

tomatoes are melted through the sauce. Add the

cream and boil for three minutes. Take off the heat. h Blend until completely

smooth, then put back into the pan and add as much stock as needed to reach the consistency you desire. Season to taste. Set

aside. hTo make the meatballs,

place two tablespoons of the olive oil in a saucepan and add the finely chopped

onion and garlic. Season, then cook over a low heat, covered with a butter

wrapper or a piece of parchment paper and the

saucepan lid, until the onions are tender, for about

10 minutes. Take off the heat, tip the onions into a bowl and allow to cool.

hWhile the onions are cooling, toast the fennel seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium to high heat. Crush them well, then add

to the onions. Add the minced pork and mix well.

Season, then pick off half a teaspoonful of the mixture and cook it in a frying pan with a little olive oil and

taste to check for seasoning. Add more salt, pepper or ground fennel if necessary, then, when you’re happy with the

flavour, shape the meatballs. Make each one about 25g (like a large walnut in its shell) – you

should get about 20. h Place a large frying pan on a medium heat and add the remaining olive oil and

the butter. Once the butter has melted and foamed, add

the meatballs and cook, tossing regularly, for about

eight to 10 minutes, until they are cooked through. Turn the heat down to low once they start to take

on a golden hue.

h While the meatballs are cooking, bring a saucepan

of water to the boil, add a good pinch of salt, then add

the broken spaghetti. Stir and allow to cook for six to

eight minutes, until al dente, then drain. h To serve, bring the tomato soup to steaming point and stir in the cooked

pasta. Divide among bowls, then top with the meatballs and scatter finely grated parmesan and chopped

parsley over the top.

COOK’S NOTE

h The meatballs can be

made and frozen, then thawed and cooked: freeze

on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, tip into a box, cover with a lid, and

freeze until needed.