Wednesday 17 October 2012

Flo's Speedy Spicy Fennel Pork Meatballs in a Piquant Sauce













In the spirit of recycling and making life easier, I thought I would post what I did with the extra sauce I made from my last supper post (here). I made twice the sauce quantity on purpose because I thought I would be able to rehash it as something new. I have posted the recipe as if having to make the sauce from scratch.

I love the spicy fennel pork meatballs at Polpo and do have their cookbook but this is my super quick and cheating method (see the pre-made meatballs in the ingredients) since I was away from home and feeling lazy. They were a quick invention but turned out surprisingly well, hence the post... 

Ingredients, serves 2:
420g super market pork meatballs (I used these ones)
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 small chilli
180g pasta of your choice – something big that cups the sauce works best

3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium sized chilli (deseeded and minced)
1 large red onion (peeled and super finely chopped)
I red bell pepper (peeled and super finely chopped)
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp of sugar
salt and pepper
1 glass of red wine



The Meatballs
1. toast the fennel seeds for a minute or so, being careful not to burn.
2. Grind them up with a pestle and mortar.
3. Deseed and mince your chilli
4. Mix the meatballs all together with the chilli and fennel and reform into large balls (a little bigger than a lime). 420g made 6.

The sauce
5. Pour the olive oil into the pan, heat up and add the chilis. Put in salt and pepper.
6. Stir for a minute then add the onions and pepper. Then a tablespoon of sugar.
7. Allow to soften then add the tomatoes and keep on a low simmer.

Back to the Meatballs
8. Brown each side of the meatballs (yes I know they are round but you know what I mean) in an oiled frying pan.
9. Transfer into the hot sauce and boil in it for twenty minutes, stirring every now and again to make sure it doesn’t burn. After 10 minutes add the wine.




The Pasta
10. Get the pasta water ready and time so that the pasta is done at the same time as the meatballs.

To Serve
Pasta first, then a generous dollop of sauce, followed by three meatballs each, perching on top, covered with more sauce. Garnish with basil if you have some to hand.


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