Tiny crumbed pork meatballs with beans and tomatoes

Tam West

You could also pan-fry these meatballs and serve with mash and green vegetables.

Ingredients

350 g	Pork mince (Main)
4 slices	Pancetta, diced (Main)
2 Tbsp	White breadcrumbs, made from stale bread, plus an extra cup for crumbing
¼ cup	Milk
1	Egg
1	Shallot, or half a small red onion, very finely chopped
2 Tbsp	Flat leaf (Italian) parsley, finely chopped, plus extra for sprinkling
1 tsp	Sage, finely chopped
½ tsp	Ground fennel seeds, optional
¼ cup	Olive oil
400 g	Chopped tomatoes, tinned, in juice (Main)
1 splash	Chicken stock, or enough to thin the sauce
1 cup	Borlotti beans, canned, drained and rinsed (Main)

Directions

1. Place the pork mince and pancetta in a bowl. Place 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs in a small bowl and pour over the milk. Leave to soak for 5 minutes, then add to the pork. Add the egg, shallot, chopped herbs and ground fennel, if using. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix to combine. Shape pork mixture into walnut-sized balls.
2. Place the 1 cup breadcrumbs on a flat plate and roll the pork balls in the crumbs.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pork balls and brown on all sides. Lower the heat, pour in the tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes until the pork balls are cooked through. Add a little chicken stock to thin the sauce if it is starting to look dry. Add the borlotti beans and heat through.
4. Serve pork meatballs in their sauce sprinkled with chopped or shredded parsley leaves (or 2 sage leaves, finely shredded).

More family favourite recipes from Kathy

• Carrot, orange and pistachio nut layer cake
• Marinated chicken with zucchini