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1
Mix the Mince
15 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Soak the torn bread in the milk for 5 minutes, then squeeze out the excess. Mix the beef and pork with the bread, beaten egg, grated onion, parsley, nutmeg and half the salt, using your hands just until combined.
Mix lightly — squeezing the mince hard makes the meatballs heavy and dry.
Done when: The mixture is even and holds together when pressed.
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2
Shape and Flour the Meatballs
10 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Roll the mixture into about 20 even meatballs, each about 45 g, and dust them lightly with flour, shaking off the excess.
Wet your hands lightly so the mince does not stick to your palms.
Done when: The meatballs are the same size, smooth and lightly floured.
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3
Brown the Meatballs
10 Mins
Medium-high heat, about 180°C (350°F)
Melt the butter in a large deep pan over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs in batches for about 10 minutes, turning gently, until golden on all sides. Lift them out onto a plate.
Do not crowd the pan — the meatballs steam instead of browning if they touch.
Done when: The meatballs are golden brown all over; they need not be cooked through yet.
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4
Build the Tomato Sauce
10 Mins
Medium heat, about 160°C (320°F)
In the same pan, soften the grated carrot and garlic for 3 minutes, then add the passata, bay leaves, sugar and remaining salt. Stir, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Those browned bits are flavour — scrape them into the sauce, do not wash them away.
Done when: The sauce is smooth, brick red and smells sweet and savoury.
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5
Simmer the Meatballs in the Sauce
25 Mins
Low simmer, about 90°C (194°F); meatballs to 71°C (160°F)
Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover and simmer gently for 25 minutes until they reach 71°C (160°F) at the centre. Lift out the meatballs and bay leaves, blend the sauce smooth with a hand blender, then return the meatballs to warm through.
Keep the simmer gentle — a hard boil will break the meatballs apart.
Done when: The meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is silky and coats a spoon.
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6
Bake the Fries and Serve
20 Mins
Oven, 200°C (400°F)
While the meatballs simmer, bake the fries at 200°C (400°F) for about 20 minutes until golden and crisp. Serve the meatballs and sauce in deep plates with the fries on the side.
Spread the fries in a single layer so they crisp instead of steaming.
Done when: The fries are golden and crisp; the meatballs sit glossy in the red sauce.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve hot in deep plates, with the fries on the side and a spoonful of mayonnaise for dipping. A little extra parsley over the top finishes the dish.
Belgium
1h
