Polpettine di Alice (See opposite) ALICE’S MEATBALLS Makes about 30 meatballs
75ml extra virgin olive oil 1 brown onion, finely diced 3 garlic cloves, finely diced 900g tinned whole
peeled tomatoes
A few stalks of fresh basil Sea salt
Grated parmesan and crusty
bread, to serve
For the meatballs
1 slice bread, crust removed
2 tbsp fresh herb leaves
(a mix of parsley and oregano), finely chopped
300g minced beef
300g minced chicken
1 egg
1. Place 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the onion in a large frying pan and set over medium heat. Sauté the onion for about 12 minutes; it should be soft, translucent and starting to turn pale golden. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes until fragrant, then add the tomatoes, including the juice in the tins. Once the sauce starts to bubble, add the basil stalks and reduce the heat. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Season to taste with salt. Remove the basil stalks before adding the meatballs.
2. While the sauce is bubbling away, make the meatballs. Place the bread in a small bowl and add a little water – not too much, just enough that the bread soaks it up and softens. Squeeze the excess water from the bread and place it in a large bowl with the herbs, beef, chicken, egg and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Mix with your hands until well combined. With damp hands, shape into small balls, about the size of a small apricot.
3. Place the remaining olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Fry the meatballs in batches for 3–4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Once each batch is browned, I drop them straight into the tomato sauce, to finish cooking. Continue to cook the meatballs in the sauce for another 10 minutes or so. Season to taste with salt.
4. Serve warm, with plenty of the thick tomato sauce on your plate, a good grating of parmesan and crusty bread. >
A DISH OF HEARTY MEATBALLS IN A SAUCE RICH IN TOMATOES AND BASIL, PLUS A KICK OF GARLIC, IS JUST MADE FOR SHARING