"Hidden away in the backstreets of Venice, you'll find little bars called 'bacaros'. These are where the locals go to escape the hoards of tourists, drink good wine and snack on cicchetti - essentially Italian tapas. Polpette are little meatballs, served in a simple tomato sauce, and they are definitely the stars of the show, for us anyway. " Thom and James Elliot /Pizza Pilgrims.
Para 4
2 fatias de pão branco velho
100ml de leite
300g de carne de vaca picada
200g de carne de porco picada
1 ovo grande
uma mão cheia de parmesão ralado
sal
pimenta
1 cebola pequena, finamente picada
2 dentes de alho picados
2 c. de sopa de azeite
3 latas de tomate San Marzano [ou outro de boa qualidade], picado
uma mão cheia de folhas de manjericão
azeite
Venetian polpette with tomato sauce
Venetian polpette with tomato sauce
Serves 4
2 slices of stale white bread
100ml milk
300g minced beef
200g minced pork
1 large egg
Small handful of grated Parmesan
Sea salt and black pepper
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tins of San Marzano [or any good-quality Italian] tomatoes, chopped
Large handful of basil leaves
Olive oil
Coloque o pão numa tigela grande e cubra com o leite. Deixe o pão absorver o leite por 10 minutos ou até ficar macio.
2 slices of stale white bread
100ml milk
300g minced beef
200g minced pork
1 large egg
Small handful of grated Parmesan
Sea salt and black pepper
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tins of San Marzano [or any good-quality Italian] tomatoes, chopped
Large handful of basil leaves
Olive oil
Coloque o pão numa tigela grande e cubra com o leite. Deixe o pão absorver o leite por 10 minutos ou até ficar macio.
Acrescente as carnes, o ovo, parmesão e uma pitada de sal e pimenta, misturando tudo.
Deixe a mistura no frigorífico por 20 minutos. Numa panela grande, salteie a cebola e o alho no azeite.
Junte o tomate e 100 ml de água, deixe ferver e cozinhe por 10 minutos. Tempere com sal e pimenta.
Retire a mistura de carne do frigorífico e molde em forma de bolas. Coza as almôndegas no molho por 10 minutos.
Retire do fogão e misture as folhas de manjericão. Sirva com queijo parmesão ralado e azeite.
Break up the stale bread into a large mixing bowl and cover with the milk. Allow the bread to absorb all of the milk and leave for about 10 minutes until just softened. Add the beef, pork, egg, Parmesan and a pinch of salt and pepper. Combine everything together.
Break up the stale bread into a large mixing bowl and cover with the milk. Allow the bread to absorb all of the milk and leave for about 10 minutes until just softened. Add the beef, pork, egg, Parmesan and a pinch of salt and pepper. Combine everything together.
Allow the mixture to rest in the fridge for about 20 minutes. In a large saucepan, gently fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil.
Pour in the tomatoes and 100ml water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes to cook the tomatoes. Check for seasoning.
Pour in the tomatoes and 100ml water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes to cook the tomatoes. Check for seasoning.
Take the meat mixture from the fridge and roll it into golf-ball-sized meatballs.
Poach the meatballs in the sauce for about 10 minutes until they are cooked through.
Take off the heat and stir through the basil leaves. Serve with grated Parmesan and olive oil.
