Meatballs are a staple in Italian, American and Swedish cuisine, often made with minced pork or beef and a blend of herbs.
While they’re often much tastier when made from scratch, this method can cause them to dry out a lot, as British chef Rick Stein discovered.
That’s why the Cornwall local takes a different approach to meatballs, which he suggests serving with orzo in a rich tomato sauce.
Sharing his recipe online, Rick explained: “I tried making these meatballs with minced pork but they were too dry, so I think they are much better made with good-quality sausage meat, by which I mean at least 90 percent pork.”
Described as one of the chef’s “favourite recipes” from his Simple Suppers collection, his meatballs with orzo and tomato sauce can be cooked in just one pot, and served in under 30 minutes.
Rick Stein’s meatball orzo recipe
Start by peeling the skin off each sausage, then discard them and keep the sausage meat. Mix in a bowl with coarsely ground fennel seeds and some chilli flakes, then shape into balls about the size of cherry tomatoes.
Heat two tablespoons of oil in a shallow casserole dish or a large pan with a lid. When sizzling hot, add the meatballs then leave them to fry until lightly browned all over. Once cooked, set aside on a plate until later.
Add the remaining oil to the pan followed by the orzo, and leave to cook for a few minutes. Add the garlic and fry for a minute, pour in the wine, then bring everything to a boil.
Add the passata and 650ml of water, season and bring to the boil once more before turning the heat right down.
Leave the contents of the pan to simmer for two or three minutes before returning the meatballs to the same pan.
Follow with the rosemary, then season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes before removing the lid where the pasta will cook for a few more minutes.
During this time, the pasta should finish cooking and the sauce will thicken up some more to the perfect consistency.
Serve hot from the pan with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and torn basil leaves for added flavour.
Add the passata and 650ml of water, season and bring to the boil again. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 2–3 minutes.
Add the meatballs and rosemary, season with salt and pepper, then cover the pan with a lid and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for a final couple of minutes until the pasta is done and the sauce is thickened.
Serve with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and torn basil leaves.
