Meatballs With Polenta In Tomato Sauce
Meatballs and polenta are the best comfort food you can make. The whole family will want you to make this recipe again and again!
Servings: 4
Calories: 775kcal
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 500 grams/16 oz ground beef (beef mince)
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs Note 1
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg medium-large, free range, Note 2
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
Tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic chunky, minced
- 700 grams/24.5 oz passata Note 3
- 400 grams/14.5oz diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce Note 4
- 1 tbs parsley stems trimmed, finely chopped
- 1 tbs basil stems trimmed, finely chopped
Polenta
- 2 cups dried polenta
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups/500ml cold water
- 2 cups/500ml boiling water
- 40 grams butter unsalted
- ½ cup pecorino romano cheese finely grated using a micro plane zester
Garnish (optional):
- black pepper
- pecorino romano cheese finely grated using a micro plane zester
- basil leaves
Instructions
- Italian meatballs: add the beef mince, panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried basil, dried parsley, salt, black pepper and egg to a medium bowl. Use clean hands to combine. Then take a soup spoon and portion out a small amount of the mixture. Roll this into a meatball using the palms of your hands then place onto a chopping board. Repeat this process till all of the mixture is used up.
- Cook the meatballs: place a large sauté pan on the stove, turn the heat to high and add the olive oil. Then use kitchen tongs to place the meatballs into the pan. Cook them, using a slotted spoon to flip and move them around in the pan. They will take 10 to 12 minutes to cook. Once cooked use a slotted spoon to remove the meatballs and place them in a paper towel lined bowl. Note 4
- Tomato sauce: without rinsing or cleaning the pan, add the garlic and saute it for 1 minute. Then add the passata, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, chopped parsley and chopped basil. Stir these to combine then turn the heat to low and allow the dish to simmer (bubble away) for 10 minutes.
- Meatballs and sauce: after 10 minutes add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and allow to heat through.
- Polenta: place a fry pan on a separate element, add the dried polenta, salt and cold water then turn the heat to high. Next pour in the boiling water. Allow the polenta to cook, stirring frequently. Once the polenta starts to come away from the inside edges of the pan add the butter and cheese. Stir continuously until consistently combined.
- Serve: portion the polenta into bowls and spoon over the meatballs and sauce. Garnish liberally with black pepper, pecorino romano cheese and basil leaves. Provide forks and spoons.
Notes
- Note 1 - Panko breadcrumbs: these help to lock moisture into the meatballs. They are larger than regular breadcrumbs and are a bright white color.
- Note 2 - Egg: a free range egg that is around the medium to large size is perfect!
- Note 3 - Passata: also known as tomato puree this is an excellent ingredient to use for pasta sauces. It is smooth and a little robust in its consistency.
- Note 4 - Worcestershire sauce: known for bringing a little oomph to recipes. It too, goes into the sauce.
- Note 5 - Meatballs: you can work in batches to cook them if you find it easier.
Nutrition
Calories: 775kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 153mg | Sodium: 875mg | Potassium: 1729mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1792IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 261mg | Iron: 10mg