Pork and Fennel Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Name: Pork and Fennel Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: Parmesan, grated to serve (optional); pinch of chilli flakes or a dash of Worcestershire sauce (optional); 1 tbsp sherry vinegar; handful of fresh basil leaves; pinch of chilli flakes or a dash of Worcestershire sauce (optional); 2 small shallots or 1 medium onion, diced; 2 small shallots or 1 medium onion, diced; 1 clove garlic, crushed; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp dried mixed herbs; 1 tsp fennel seeds; ½ tsp grated nutmeg; pinch of chilli flakes; 1 × 400 g tin of white beans, drained and rinsed; 500 g pork mince; 1 × 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes; 1 red onion, thinly sliced

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Medium
Ready in
1 hr 20

Appears in

The Organised Cook

By Amelia Freer

Published 2022

About

This fragrant combination of pork and fennel is a classic for good reason. The fennel seeds cut through the rich meaty flavour and bring an aromatic frisson to this dish. I like to double up when making this and keep some in the freezer for busy days. You can substitute the pork mince for beef or turkey, if you’dprefer.

Ingredients

2 small shallots or 1 medium onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil

Gluten-free
Pasta

Method

In a large saucepan, fry the shallot or onion gently in the olive oil over a medium heat for 6-8 minutes, then add the garlic, fennel seeds, herbs, chilli flakes and nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Fry for a further couple of minutes, stirring occasionally, to release the aromatic flavours of the herbs. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Mix the fried shallot mixture in