American/Italian style Mini Meatballs

Average: 2.9 (39 votes)
0 Review
Write review

These meatballs are perfect for small mouths.You could substitute chicken mince for either the veal or pork or use just one type of mince.

 

Meatballs

Top 100 Finger Foods

  

Ingredients

  • 110 g (4 oz) beef mince
  • 110 g (4 oz) veal mince
  • 110 g (4 oz) pork mince
  • 30 g (1 oz) fresh white
  • breadcrumbs
  • 3 tbsp milk
  • a small handful of parsley
  • leaves, chopped
  • 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
  • salt and pepper, to season
  • 2–3 tbsp sunflower oil, for frying

For the sauce

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 x 400 g can chopped
  • tomatoes
  • 11/2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato purée
  • 1 tsp soft light brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp dried oregano
  • 50 ml (2 fl oz) vegetable stock

 

Method

These are perfect for small mouths.You could substitute chicken mince for either the veal or pork or use just one type of mince. First, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan and sauté the onion for 10 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute, then transfer half to a food processor. Add the tomatoes, purées,sugar, oregano and vegetable stock to the onions left in the pan, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile add the beef, veal and pork mince to the onions in the food processor. Whiz for a minute to chop everything then add the breadcrumbs, milk, parsley, Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until well combined. Take rounded teaspoonfuls of the meatball mixture and form into about 30 small balls.

You can now either fry the meatballs or cook them in the oven.For frying Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry in batches of 8–10 meatballs for 2–3 minutes on each side,until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.

For oven browning Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas 6/ Fan 180ºC. Put a lipped baking sheet in the oven when you switch it on and allow it to heat up. Put two tablespoons of sunflower oil on the hot baking sheet and add the meatballs.

Bake for 20 minutes, turning halfway through. Transfer the browned meatballs to the sauce using tongs or a draining spoon.

Purée the tomato sauce until smooth, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Return to the pan and add the browned meatballs. Simmer for a further 5–10 minutes. Serve with spaghetti or in hollowed out French bread.

 

Information

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Makes 2 to 4 portions (recipe easily halved)
Not suitable for freezing
Suitable from one year