Fresh Homemade Pappardelle with Herby Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Fresco, pappardelle fatte in casa con polpette di carne alle erbe in salsa di pomodoro
Ingredients
Serves 4/6
For the pappardelle pasta
300g Italian ’00’ flour plus extra for flowering
6 egg yolks (preferably organic)
1 tspoon olive oil
For the meatballs
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
50g panchetta lardons
50g fresh white breadcrumbs
handful of oregano, thyme and sage chopped
1 free-range egg yolk
250g beef mince
250g pork mince
50ml red wine
3 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
grated cheese, to serve such as parmesan or pecorino
Preparation method.
For the pasta.
1, Place the flour, eggs and olive oil into a food processor and pulse until combined.
2, Tip out the dough and knead to form into a ball shape. Knead it briskly for 1 minute, it should be quite stiff and hard to knead.
3, once the dough has a silky texture wrap in cling film and leave to rest in a cool place for 1 hour before using.( I’ve devided in into 2 separate portions and placed one into the freezer to be used on another occasion )
4, Roll out one half of the dough until 1cm/½in thick, then feed it through a pasta machine. Start on the thickest setting, passing the sheet through several times and lowering the setting until it reaches the thinnest setting.
5, Carefully fold the sheet of pasta then slice the pasta sheet into ribbons 2.5cm wide now gently unravel to reveal the long pappardelle strands. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.
Preparation method
For the meatballs.
1, Heat the olive oil a heavy-based casserole or large saucepan set over a low heat. Add the onion and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Increase the heat to medium and add the pancetta lardons. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent (do not colour). Remove half of the mixture and set aside in a bowl to use in the sauce later.
2, Add the breadcrumbs and a generous handful of herbs to the pan. Stir and then transfer to a blender. Add the egg yolk and pulse to combine.
3, Add the minced beef and pork to the mixture and pulse to form a paste. Use your hands to mould the mixture into small balls about the size of ping pong balls , leave to rest in the fridge for min 30 mins .
4, Put the meatballs into a hot pan with a splash of oil and fry until brown all over (don’t overcrowd , it can be done in 2 batches). Remove from the pan and set aside.
5, Add the reserved onion and pancetta mixture to the pan. Deglaze by adding the red wine and scraping all the bits off the bottom of the pan. When the wine is boiling, add the chopped fresh tomatoes, keeping the heat high. Continue to cook, stirring all the time until they start to break down. Add the tinned tomatoes and a tin full of water. Bring back to the boil.
6,Taste to check the seasoning and cook for a further five minutes. Return the meatballs to the pan and bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
7,Place the pasta into a large saucepan of boiling salted water and cook for 2-3 minutes, until al dente. Drain well, place into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil.
8, To serve, mix the meatballs and pasta together then serve topped with grated cheese, and now enjoy with a delicious Italian red wine 😉
For more info, or if you like I’ll come and cook it for you , mail or phone:
simon.bingham@simons-sauces.com 0642297107
simons-sauces 