Pork and Fennel Meatballs with Tomato sauce

This is a welcome, fresh update from your regular, popular beef meatball recipe. Serve these hearty Pork and Fennel meatballs with pasta, mashed potato or with crusty bread.

Cut:
  • Portions: 6
  • 30 Minutes
  • 30 Minutes
Pork and fennel Meatballs

Ingredients

For the sauce
  • 5ml olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed/grated
  • 800g (2 cans) whole Italian tomatoes, blitzed to a smooth pulp
  • 10ml (2 teaspoons) sugar
  • salt and pepper, to taste
For the meatballs
  • 30ml olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 fennel bulb, finely chopped (save some of the fronds for serving)
  • the rind of a small lemon, finely grated
  • 10ml smoked paprika
  • 1kg pork mince
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Prepare the sauce:

Heat the oil in a medium pot and fry the garlic over medium heat until golden. Add the smooth tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes or until reduced by a third. Set aside.

 

Prepare the meatballs:

In a wide pan, heat the oil and fry the onions, fennel and lemon rind until it is soft and fragrant. Remove from the heat and transfer to a mixing bowl, adding the smoked paprika, mince, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Shape into balls (about 4-5cm in diameter).

Using the same pan as before, add more olive oil and fry the meatballs on all sides over medium heat until just cooked. Serve with the warm tomato sauce, scattered with fennel fronds (and pasta/starch of your choice, optionally).