Easter marked the start of better weather and longer evenings. The gloom of winter is fading and blossom is appearing with cherry, apple and hawthorn all showing their best and lifting our spirits. Evenings can still be a little chilly and we still enjoy cosy home cooking but with fresher, lighter flavours.
The downside is that April is part of what is known as The Hungry Gap. New crops are sprouting, but nothing is ready yet other than a little foraged produce. It’s a good time to empty your store cupboards of vegetables and fruits preserved from last year.
It’s also essential to make the most of simple ingredients that are always available, so pasta is a great choice. This recipe for Polpette, a type of meatball, hits all the right notes. Easy to make with humble ingredients, its robust, fresh flavours will pair beautifully with a glass or two of Kilikanoon Prodigal Grenache from Australia.
Ingredients for the Polpette (serves 4-5)
30g fresh breadcrumbs
275g minced pork
275g minced beef
1 red onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed to a paste
30g grated parmesan
1 medium egg
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
5g mint, finely chopped
5g red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
1tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper
To serve: Pasta of choice (we recommend Spaghetti or Malfedine), and butter.
Ingredients for the tomato sauce
2 x 400g tins of San Marzano tomatoes (alternatively, plum tomatoes may be used - simply add a pinch of sugar and a splash of red wine vinegar.)
2tbsp Olive Oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, grated
Sprig of Thyme, leaves only
Small handful of basil, roughly torn
100ml dry white wine
Method
Combine all of the Polpette ingredients and mix together with your hands. Set the mixture aside to rest whilst you make the tomato sauce.
Sweat the onion and thyme in the olive oil over a medium/ low heat. The onions should be soft with no colour.
When the onions are ready, add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the white wine and boil till it has all evaporated.
Squash the tomatoes in your hands and add to the pan. Simmer long and slow until a rich thick sauce is obtained. (Plenty of time to try the Prodigal Grenache!)
Season with salt and throw in the basil.
To cook the Polpette, form the mixture into 50g balls (about the size of a large walnut), place in a baking dish and pour over the tomato sauce.
Bake at 180 degrees Celcius for 20 minutes. Any juices from the meatballs will mix in to the tomato sauce, so no flavour is lost.
Serve with buttered pasta such as spaghetti or malfedine.
The Perfect Wine Match
Kilikanoon Prodigal Grenache, Clare Valley, Australia 2019
Delightful aromas of red cherry, red plum and Asian spices. A multi-layered core of further red and black berry fruit fused with liqourice spice, supported by silky tannins. A grown up Grenache with wonderful elegance and finesse.
ON OFFER THROUGHOUT APRIL - CLICK HERE TO SHOP
