MEATBALLS WITH PARMESAN POLENTA & BUFFALO MOZZARELLA

SERVES 4 / PREPARATION 20 MINUTES PLUS 1 HOUR RESTING / COOKING 40 MINUTES

FOR THE MEATBALLS 125g white bread 75ml full-cream milk 500g pork mince 500g beef mince 90g panko breadcrumbs 90g grated parmesan 2 cloves garlic, crushed 15g cooking salt 15g chopped parsley 2 eggs

Soak the bread in the milk. Mix all ingredients together until well combined, but do not overwork the mixture. Roll into 50g balls and place on a tray, cover with plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for 1 hour.

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE

100ml olive oil

5 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon tomato paste

90ml red cooking wine

450g canned, peeled tomatoes (I use Mutti brand) caster sugar

Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the garlic cloves and cook until just starting to colour. Add the tomato paste then deglaze the pan by adding the wine and letting it bubble up, scraping the base of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes to the pot and cook for 15 minutes.

Blitz the sauce with a hand blender. Season with caster sugar to taste and salt. Gently add the meatballs to the sauce, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes over a low-medium heat.

FOR THE PARMESAN POLENTA 700ml full-cream milk 40g butter

20g grated parmesan 100g fine polenta

Heat the milk, butter and parmesan over a medium heat. Once it starts simmering, slowly add the polenta, while whisking. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Season with salt.

TO SERVE buffalo mozzarella basil freshly shaved parmesan

Place the polenta on the bottom of a bowl with the meatballs and sauce on top. Garnish with buffalo mozzarella, basil and freshly shaved parmesan.