Italian Pork Meatballs
with Fennel and Puntaletta Pasta
We love good Meatballs with Fennel and Pasta and this deliciously simple, chef-curated recipe doesn't disappoint. Time to bust out the pots and pans!
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
Ingredients
½
Dried Italian Herbs
225
Pork Sausage Meat
(Contains Sulphites, Cereals containing gluten May contain Celery, Soya, Nuts, Fish, Milk, Egg, Mustard)
1
Chicken Stock Powder
1
Fennel
200
Puntalette Pasta
1
Tomato Passata
2
Garlic Clove
40
Wild Rocket
40
Grated Hard Italian Style Cheese
(Contains Milk, Egg)
Not included in your delivery
300
Water
Nutritional information
Utensils
Instructions
Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press). Put the sausage meat into a large mixing bowl and add half the garlic and half the Italian style herbs. Use your hands to mix the seasonin into the sausage meat and then shape into small meatballs. Make six meatballs per person. Pop onto a plate and keep to one side. IMPORTANT: Remember to wash your hands and equipment after handling raw meat.
Cut the fennel in half lengthways, remove the triangle root in the middle (see pic), then slice thinly widthways.
Heat a splash of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the meatballs and cook until browned all over, 5-6 mins. Turn every minute or so. When the meatballs are browned, add the fennel to the pan. Stir the fennel, nudging it between the meatballs and cook until it is softened and slightly browned, another 3 mins.
Next, stir in the remaining garlic, cook for 1 minute, then add the tomato passata and remaining Italian style herbs to the pan. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, then stir in the puntalette pasta, water (see ingredients for amount) and stock powder. Stir well to submerge the pasta under the liquid. Bring back to the boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer again.
Stir the pasta every minute or so to make sure it isn't catching on the bottom of your pan. The meatballs and pasta will be cooked in 10-12 mins. IMPORTANT: The meatballs are cooked when no longer pink in the middle.
When everything is cooked, and the dish is the same consistency as a risotto, stir in half the cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper as necessary. Share between your bowls and finish with the rocket on top, a sprinkle of remaining cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!
