New Zealand Grass-fed Beef Polpettone with Garlic and Herbs Recipe
- Servings: 4
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
Polpettone are large Italian meatballs, similar to meatloaf. Perfect for a cold winter evening – or anytime you’re craving a warm, delectable dish!
Tip: wet your hands before shaping meatballs. This helps prevent meat from sticking to your hands.
Ingredients:
For the Beef Meatballs:
- 1 lb. New Zealand grass-fed ground beef (Tip: Look for the Taste Pure Nature logo)
- 1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs, such as parsley, thyme and oregano
- Oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the tomato sauce:
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 14 oz can chopped tomatoes in juice
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper, to taste
To serve:
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley leaves
Directions:
For beef meatballs:
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- 2. Lightly oil a deep baking dish or skillet (one that will fit 8 meatballs comfortably in a single layer). Mix all meatball ingredients together well, then shape into 8 meatballs and place in prepared baking dish.
For the tomato sauce:
- 3. Place a dash of oil in a heavy saucepan, over a low heat, and add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, stock, tomato paste, sugar, bay leaf and season well with salt and pepper.
- 4. Simmer for 10 minutes to allow all the flavors to mingle and the liquid to reduce a little. Remove from the heat, cool for about 5 minutes, remove the bay leaf, then process in a food processor until you have a smooth sauce.
- 5. Pour sauce over the meatballs and cook in oven for 25 minutes, turning meatballs once after 15 minutes.
To serve:
- 6. Serve hot sprinkled with the Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.