Mushroom polpette (mushroom meatballs in tomato sauce)

Ingredients

• 300 g chopped white button mushrooms (or mixed mushrooms)
• 100 g fresh ricotta
• 50 g grated Parmesan
• 1 clove garlic
• 30 g raisins (sultanas)
• 20 g dried currants
• 1 piece egg
• 80 g sandwich bread (bread crumb)
• 100 ml vegetable broth (preferably unsalted)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• to taste fine salt
• to taste ground black pepper
• 50 g Type 55 wheat flour
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 400 g canned peeled tomatoes (whole or crushed)
• 4 leaves fresh basil

Method

1. Soak the bread crumb in the hot vegetable broth for 10 minutes. Drain, pressing it lightly.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook until they have released their water and browned, about 8 minutes. Let cool.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cooled mushrooms, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, finely chopped garlic, raisins, dried currants, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Add the drained bread and mix everything together by hand until you have an even filling.
4. Shape walnut-sized meatballs (about 6 to 8). Roll them lightly in flour, then shake off the excess.
5. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides without cooking them through. Set aside on a plate.
6. In the same skillet, add the final tbsp olive oil and sauté one crushed garlic clove for 1 minute. Add the peeled tomatoes, crushing them with a fork or briefly blending them. Season with salt and pepper and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
7. Return the meatballs to the tomato sauce, cover, and cook over very low heat for 25 minutes, stirring gently from time to time. The sauce should thicken and the meatballs absorb the flavors.
8. Serve hot, scattered with fresh basil leaves. Optionally serve with pasta or crusty bread.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

810.7 kcal

Protein

28.82 g

Carbohydrate

81.7 g

Fat

42.56 g

Fibre

10.46 g

Calcium

382.1 mg

Iron

3.15 mg

Magnesium

67 mg