The anchovies in this meatball recipe really bring out the flavour of pork. A lovely, satisfying Italian dish.
Ingredients
- 6 shallots, finely diced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 500g pork mince
- 40g fresh white breadcrumbs
- 8 anchovy fillets, chopped
- Small handful of fresh basil leaves, shredded, plus extra to serve
- Grated zest of ½ lemon
- 500g passata
- 1 fat garlic clove, crushed
- 400g spaghetti
Method
- 1. In a sauté pan, gently fry the shallot in 1 tbsp of the olive oil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer half to a large bowl using a slotted spoon and allow to cool a little. Add the pork mince to the bowl and mix together, along with the breadcrumbs, chopped anchovies, basil, lemon zest and seasoning. With wet hands, roll small handfuls of the mixture into walnut-size meatballs and place on a large plate. Chill for 10 minutes.
- 2. Return the remaining shallots to the heat with the passata and garlic. Bubble for 4-5 minutes to thicken, then season, cover and keep warm.
- 3. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 8 minutes, turning, until browned all over and cooked through.
- 4. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pan of salted boiling water according to the pack instructions. Drain, reserving 1 tbsp of the cooking water, then toss with the tomato sauce and the meatballs. Serve scattered with extra basil leaves.
Chef's tip
To freeze: Open-freeze the uncooked meatballs, then place in plastic bags for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly and heat through until piping hot before serving with the spaghetti and tomato sauce.