Frascati Soaked Pork and Beef Meatballs

It's unclear who invented the first meatball, although many people believe that the meatball first originated in Persia where leftover meat was used to make a dish known as Kofta. It is supposed that from Persia the meatball spread throughout the Middle East to China.

Prep Time 360 mins

Cook Time 240 mins

Total Time 10 hrs

Cuisine: Europe, Italian-inspired

Courses: Mains

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 8

Ingredients

Meatballs

1 egg
pinch salt
125 ml milk
60 g breadcrumbs (dried)
600 g pork (minced)
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp basil (dried)
600 g beef (minced)
2 chillies (diced)
15 g parsley (chopped)

Soaking

400 ml frascati

Sauce

250 g smoked lardons
3 brown onions
3 carrots
3 celery stalks
6 salad tomatoes
4 anchovies
3 garlic cloves (minced)
600 ml chicken stock
2 kg passata
1 tbsp chilli oil
12 basil leaves
black pepper
1 Parmigiano Reggiano (finely grated)

Instructions

1
Create 32 meatballs, 16 pork with fennel and basil,16 beef with diced chillies. Add to a mixing bowl and cover with 400ml of Frascati. Place in the fridge for 6 hours.
Keep the raw meatballs refrigerated throughout the six-hour soak. Wash hands and equipment after shaping them and keep the soaking liquid away from ready-to-eat foods.
2
Finely dice 3 brown onions, 3 carrots and 3 sticks of celery for the sofrito. Slice the base of the tomatoes, add them to a pan of boiling water for 90 seconds, let them cool thoroughly and peel.
3
Finely chop 4 anchovies, you won’t see or taste them, they simply melt into the garlic. Add the garlic, the onions, followed by the carrots and finally the celery. Stir continuously until the vegetables have taken on the garlic and softened. Next add the lardons to the pan on a low heat to render the fat, slowly crisping it up.
4
Turn the heat to maximum and add the meatballs, stir them in the lardon fat. Add the freshly skinned and chopped tomatoes whilst reducing the heat. Combine the entire contents of the pan once again.
The meatballs are still raw at this point; browning the outside is not the final doneness check. Handle utensils accordingly until the subsequent simmer has cooked them through.
5
Add the chicken stock and simmer for the first reduction, aiming for 3 reductions in all to create that extra depth of flavour. Once almost reduced add the remaining Frascati from the mixing bowl which will complete the first reduction.
The Frascati left in the meatball bowl has contacted raw meat. Add it only at this cooking stage as written, bring the sauce back to a proper simmer, and never reserve that liquid for uncooked use.
6
When you begin to see tracks in the sauce as you stir you can detect how thick it is becoming and move to adding 2kg of passata, stirring well until all the colours combine and are fully incorporated.
7
Ensure the heat is set to a maximum to almost bring the passata to a boil then turn to a low heat to simmer.
8
The passata begins to take on all the previous flavours whilst protecting the integrity of the meatballs. As time passes the sauce thickens so ensure sure you keep stirring. Take some chilli oil and sprinkle over the top.
9
As the oil begins to permeate the sauce place some whole fresh basil leaves on the top, leaving them for a few minutes before stirring in.
10
As we near completion prepare the pasta, prior to straining add 2 or 3 ladels of pasta water to the sauce and combine thoroughly. The starch in the water makes the sauce silkier and adds another depth to the flavour, add black pepper to further embolden the flavours.
11
The sauce will soon thicken and when you achieve clear tracks in the pan when you stir with a wooden spoon serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Before serving, check a meatball from the centre of the pan is cooked all the way through and piping hot; sauce thickness alone does not establish meat doneness.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 8

Amount Per Serving
Calories 588.58kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 30.91g48%
Saturated Fat 8.84g45%
Sodium 910.58mg38%
Total Carbohydrate 25.76g9%
Dietary Fiber 6.95g28%
Sugars 12.23g
Protein 42.81g86%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Marvellously accompanied by fresh tagliatelli and pan toasted ciabatta lightly rubbed with cut garlic.