Introducing you to a recipe that comes from my Nonna, passed down generations and made together today with my auntie. Traditionally these are made with breadcrumbs, and would double in size once you add them to the sauce. This recipe uses almond meal and although they grow only a little in the sauce they keep their shape and melt in your mouth when eaten.
Traditionally made when Italians had a meat-free day.
Ingredients
4 medium potatoes boiled till soft.
3 eggs
A large handful of fresh mint chopped.
1 cup almond meal
2 pinches of sea salt or 1 tsp.
1 tsp cracked pepper
Ghee for frying
Sauce
1 litre of tomato passata
1 garlic clove chopped
1/2 onion chopped
Pinch of oregano
Sea salt
Method
Make your sauce by sautéing the garlic and onion in a sauce pan until soft. Add the Passata, oregano and salt and simmer for 1 hour.
Peel the potatoes and chop into a bowl. Using a potato masher, mash them to a soft texture with no large lumps.
With a fork combine the eggs, mint, salt, pepper and almond meal. The mixture should look sticky and soft.
With a tablespoon scoop up the mixture and fry in batches in a frypan with heated ghee. Have a cup of water nearby to rinse the spoon after each use. This makes it easier for the polpette to drop in the pan. Flip with a fork until they are light brown on each side. You could test seasoning after the first one is ready.
Once browned add them straight to the saucepan of simmering sauce. (You could also eat these as is, without adding them to the sauce. You could add half to the sauce and eat half by them selves) The polpette will continue cooking in the sauce for about 30 minutes more. So the sauce will thicken.
Enjoy.
