Fast Recipes

Polpetti with roasted tomato sauce and pappardelle

For these simple meatballs, we like to use a mixture of mince: the fine mince to help bind the meatballs and coarse mince for fat, flavour and texture.

By Lisa Featherby
  • Serves 4
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Polpetti with roasted tomato sauce and pappardelle
For these simple meatballs, we like to use a mixture of mince: the fine mince to help bind the meatballs and coarse mince for fat, flavour and texture.

Ingredients

  • 4 ripe vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 golden shallots, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp oregano
  • 1 small red chilli, halved
  • 140 ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 250 gm extra-lean finely minced beef
  • 250 gm coarsely minced pork with good fat marbling
  • 90 ml dry white wine
  • 400 gm dried pappardelle
  • Finely grated parmesan, to serve

Method

Main
  • 1
    Preheat oven to 220C. Combine tomatoes, garlic, shallot, oregano and chilli in a roasting pan, drizzle with 90ml olive oil, scatter with caster sugar, season to taste and roast until vegetables soften and mixture starts to caramelise around the edges (about 20 minutes).
  • 2
    Meanwhile, combine minced meats in a bowl and season to taste. Heat white wine and 2 tbsp remaining olive oil in a deep-sided frying pan over high heat. While it heats, form walnut-sized meatballs and add to pan. Cover with a lid and cook without stirring for 3 minutes, then remove lid and cook, shaking pan occasionally, until liquid reduces and meatballs start to fry (3-4 minutes).
  • 3
    Meanwhile, cook pappardelle in a large saucepan of boiling salted water (1 minute less than packet instructions for al dente). Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water, then return to pan with remaining oil and enough reserved pasta water to cover pasta. Toss to coat and transfer to plates. Serve pappardelle topped with meatballs and sauce, and scattered with parmesan and cracked black pepper to taste.