These subtly flavoured little meatballs are poached in stock flavoured by thinly sliced carrots and finely chopped shallots. The tasty broth ends up a tad murky before its final seasoning of lemon juice and chopped parsley. Meatballs and broth go with any noodles; I chose rice vermicelli, ready-cooked in 300g sachets.
Serves 4
Prep 30 min
Cook 30 min
Ingredients
5 shallots, 125g
25g butter
50g day-old crustless bread
3 tbsp thick yoghurt or cream
500g organic minced pork
1 lemon
50g bunch flat leaf parsley
1 egg
50g piece Pecorino cheese
2 carrots
1 bay leaf
1 chicken stock cube
Noodles of choice
Boil the kettle. Halve, peel and finely chop three shallots. Soften gently in 25g butter, stirring often. Meanwhile, blitz the bread to make crumbs and stir into the yoghurt or cream to make a stiff paste. Spread the pork out in a mixing bowl. Set aside one strip of lemon zest and microplane (very finely, no white) remaining zest over the meat. Pick the leaves off the parsley stalks and finely chop. Add a third to the mix. Whisk the egg and add along with the cooked shallot, a light seasoning salt and generous one of pepper. Finely grate the Pecorino over the top. Mix and mulch. Form into quarters and then roll 15 little balls, the size of a cherry tomato, from each quarter between damp hands. Transfer to a plate as you go. Chill until required.
Scrape the carrot and slice in thin rounds. Halve, peel and finely slice two shallots. Add both to a medium pan with the bay, lemon zest, crumbled stock cube and 750ml boiling water. Simmer, semi-covered, for 10 min. Add the meatballs, shaking the pan to immerse. Simmer for 10-15 min until cooked through. Add lemon juice and remaining parsley just before serving over cooked noodles.