Mozzarella Meatballs with Polenta
Molten-hearted meatballs poached in tomato until they're barely holding themselves together, over lazy parmesan polenta.
Serves: 8
Prep time: 30 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling
Cook time: 50 minutes
INGREDIENTS
For the meatballs
1.5kg mixed pork and veal mince
225g sourdough, crusts removed, torn
280ml milk
1 large brown onion, grated
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano (or a big handful of fresh oregano leaves, chopped)
1 big handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
salt, for seasoning
black pepper
mozzarella cubes: 14 x 1.5cm or 8 x 2cm, depending which way you go
2 tablespoons olive oil, for browning
125ml white wine
2 garlic cloves, sliced, extra
1 x 800g bottle passata
1 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes, plus the tin rinsed out with water
For the polenta
400g polenta
1.2 litres water
800ml milk
100g butter
100g parmesan, grated
salt, for seasoning
For the cavolo nero
3 bunches cavolo nero, leaves stripped from the spines
3 garlic cloves, finely slivered
2 tablespoons olive oil
grated parmesan and lemon zest, to serve
METHOD
Soak the sourdough in the milk for 10 minutes, then squish it into a paste with your hands. Add the mince, onion, crushed garlic, oregano, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix gently but thoroughly - hands are best.
Decide your meatball life: divide into 14 for 6cm balls (one each with seconds up for grabs) or 8 for proper 7-8cm giants (one each, no negotiating). Press a mozzarella cube into the middle of each and seal it right in. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes - an hour is better. This is what keeps them together in the pan.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof pan or casserole and brown the meatballs in batches so they colour properly. Handle them like they're precious. They are.
Return all the meatballs to the pan, splash in the wine and let it bubble away, scraping up the good bits from the base. Add the sliced garlic, passata and crushed tomatoes, then rinse out the tin with a little water and add that too. Nestle everything in, then into the oven, uncovered, until cooked through and the sauce has thickened at the edges - 30-35 minutes for the smaller ones, 40-45 for the giants. If some mozzarella escapes and oozes into the tomato, that's not a flaw, that's the best bit.
About 40 minutes before serving, make the polenta: bring the water and milk to a simmer in a large pot, rain in the polenta whisking constantly, then drop the heat to low and stir every few minutes for 30-35 minutes until thick and creamy. Beat in the butter and parmesan, season well. It should slump lazily off a spoon, not stand up. Loosen with a little extra milk if needed.
For the cavolo nero, right at the end: heat the olive oil in your widest pan, add the garlic slivers and let them turn pale gold - not brown, gold. Add the leaves and a splash of water, toss for 2-3 minutes until just collapsed and glossy. Shower with parmesan and lemon zest.
Serve a puddle of polenta, meatballs with plenty of sauce, greens on the side. Lemon zest over everything.
HINTS
The fridge rest is not optional. Cold meatballs hold their shape, room temperature ones fall apart the second they hit the pan.
If pork is off the table, use veal and beef instead - the tenderness comes from the soaked bread, not the pork, so you lose nothing.
The whole thing in tomato can be made a day ahead - it's honestly better. Reheat gently in the oven, covered, and make the polenta and greens fresh.
NUTRITION (per recipe total, serves 8 - guide only):
Energy: approximately 32500kJ (7770 calories)
Protein: 445g
Fat: 480g
Saturated fat: 220g
Carbohydrates: 290g
Sugars: 55g
Fibre: 30g
Sodium: 6500mg
This nutrition information is a guide only and may vary depending on brands, exact quantities, and ingredient substitutions used.