Polipetti al Forno

Tue, 19 June 2018

Ingredients

Polpetti

·         250g / 500g minced beef (singled / double batch)

·         250g / 500g minced pork (singled / double batch)

·         1 tsp garlic powder

·         1 tsp onion powder

·         1/2 tsp oregano

·         1 courgette (skin on, grated and all water squeezed out)

·         2 slices whole meal bread

·         75ml milk

·         50g grated parmesan

·         Seasoning

·         2 tbsp oil

Tomato Sauce

·         1 tin chopped tomatoes

·         1 jar passata

·         1/2 tsp oregano

·         1 tsp brown sugar

·         1 onion

·         2 cloves garlic

·         20 g parmesan

Bechamel Sauce

·         50g butter  / margarine

·         50g white flour

·         500 mls milk

·         120g mozzarella/cheddar grated

·         Seasoning

Topping

·         Mozzarella

Polenta

·         100g polenta & 1L water and 1 tsp salt / 1/2 Chicken stock cube

·         20g butter

·         20g parmesan

Method

Polpetti al Forno

Preheat the oven. Soak the bread in the milk. Grate the parmesan. Grate the courgette and squeeze out all the water.

Combine the meat, soaked bread, parmesan, onion and garlic powder and courgette in a large bowl. With clean wet hands roll into 24 small meatballs.

Heat the oil in a large oven proof saucepan and cook the meatballs in small batches.

Remove from the pan and set aside.

To make the tomato sauce fry the ingredients for the sauce and simmer for 20mins.

While the tomato sauce is simmering make the béchamel sauce.

To make the béchamel - melt the butter in a small saucepan, stir in the flour and cook out for 1 minute.  Gradually add in the milk and stir in until it get gradually gets thick.

Stir in the cheese and the seasoning.

Into the oven proof saucepan with the cooked tomato sauce pop back in the meatballs, spoon over the creamy béchamel sauce and sprinkle with some mozzarella.

Bake for 20 / 30mins.

Serve with creamy polenta, crusty bread or pasta.

 

Polenta

To cook the polenta, put the water and salt / stock cube on to boil.

Pour in the polenta and stir, stir, stir over a gentle heat until it looks soft, creamy and bubbly.

Stir in the butter and parmesan and serve.