- Prep time
- 0:50
- Cook time
- 0:30
- Skill level
- Low
- Serves
- 15 meatballs
When I was four years old my mother took me to the cinema for the first time.
This particular cinema mostly played the classics, and on this occasion it was Lady and the Tramp. I enjoyed the movie so much, particularly the scene where the dogs share a plate of spaghetti and meatballs, that after the credits rolled I informed my mother I would like to stay and watch it once more.
Doggedly I refused to leave my seat, until the kindly projectionist told me he couldn't run the movie again, however I was welcome to return another day. And so began my love affair with the cinema and meatballs.
These meatballs are not the type you slurp with spaghetti.
Rather, mighty flavourful bites, which you might pierce with a fork then swipe across some creamy mashed potato. They're also great bobbing along in this root vegetable stew or piled into a sandwich made with crusty bread, cos lettuce, pickled onions and mayonnaise.
However you enjoy them, there is something incomparably satisfying about meatballs. And these, I find, are particularly moreish.
Tips:
- Leek alternatives: if you can't find a small leek use half a large one. Alternatively you can use one French shallot or half a small brown onion, however the flavour will be different.
- Skip the leek: if you're in a hurry or simply not keen on leek, you can leave the leek out altogether and simply mince the garlic into the mixing bowl. Though there are two things to note if you do this: 1) make sure you use a very small garlic clove, as the flavour will be strong, and 2) add a total of ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt to the mixture.
- Parmesan and saltiness: different brands of parmesan will be saltier and more flavourful than others. Have a taste and if you find yours to be particularly salty, you may like to add a fraction less salt to the meatball mixture. Conversely, if you find your parmesan to be a bit bland, you may like to add a fraction more. Under-seasoned meatballs are a disappointment, so you may wish to roll a test meatball and fry it in an oiled pan so you test your seasoning and be certain of deliciousness.
- Finely grating parmesan: go for either a microplane grater or a box grater using the side with the tiny holes (and be careful of your fingers).
- Chicken mince: some chicken mince will be wetter than others. If you find you have a lot of liquid in your mince packet, drain it off before adding to the mixing bowl. Try to use as close to 500g as possible (some butchers may give you a little more), as too much/too little will alter the flavour and texture of the meatballs.
- Resting and rolling: while it's common to use breadcrumbs to help bind meatballs, I've used parmesan (quite a bit of it). Because of this, the raw mixture is rather wet, so you really must rest it in the fridge for at least thirty minutes (and up to a few hours) before rolling it into balls. I also recommend placing a little bowl of water close to your rolling station, so you can keep your hands moist and stop the mixture sticking to your fingers.
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Ingredients
Method
- 1.Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over low heat. Add the leek and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt and cook, stirring every so often, for about 7 minutes until the leek has softened (add an extra drizzle of oil if it's looking dry). Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes until the garlic begins to turn golden (turn the heat up a little if required). Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
- 2.Crack the egg into a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk lightly, then add the chicken mince, parmesan, nutmeg, parsley, a little freshly cracked black pepper and ⅓ teaspoon fine sea salt, followed by the cooled leek and garlic mixture. Use your hands to squish the ingredients together until everything is incorporated.
- 3.Place the meatball mixture in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes (see tips above) and preheat the oven to 180°C.
- 4.Once the mixture has rested, take a heaped tablespoon portion and, with moist hands, roll it into a ball and place it on a baking tray. Repeat with the remaining mixture then drizzle the balls with olive oil and place in the oven to bake for 15–20 minutes until lightly golden on top and cooked in the middle (insert a sharp knife in the middle of the biggest ball to check for doneness). Serve with creamy mashed potatoes, with a root vegetable stew, or piled into a crusty sandwich with lettuce, pickled onions and mayo.