Meatballs with Fennel & Ricotta

Ingredients (serves 4)

For the Meatballs

• 100g butter
• 50g fresh breadcrumbs
• 500g pork mince
• 100g Fennel Salami, finely chopped
• 1 egg
• Pinch fennel seeds
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves only, finely chopped
• 1 sprig fresh oregano, leaves only, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 fennel head, very thinly sliced
• 50g Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For Onion Jam

• 50ml olive oil
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1 bay leaf

Plus

• 1L good quality chicken stock
• Few tbsp ricotta cheese

Method

• To make the onion jam, heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onions and bay leaf and cook gently until soft. Cook over a low heat for about an hour, or until the onions are golden-brown and their natural sugars have caramelised. Remove from the heat. When cool, place in a airtight container and transfer to the fridge.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• To make the meatballs, melt 50g butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toast until golden-brown, stirring often. If they start to colour too quickly, lower the heat. Set aside to cool.
• Mix the mince, salami, egg, fennel seeds and herbs in a bowl. Roll into golf-ball size balls using your hands. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan, then add the meatballs and fry them all over to seal. Transfer to an ovenproof dish.
• Put the sliced fennel head and a tablespoon olive oil in the pan and cook gently for about 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the onion jam and all of the chicken stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the volume of liquid has reduced by ¾. Add the remaining butter and swirl it around so it emulsifies and combines into a sauce. Season with salt and pepper and pour the mixture over the meatballs.
• Bake the meatballs for 10 minutes, then remove, sprinkle with Parmesan and spoon over a few tablespoons of ricotta. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, or until the Parmesan has browned.
• Sprinkle the reserved breadcrumbs and pine nuts evenly over the top and serve immediately.