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Sausage and fennel meatballs recipe

Sausage and fennel meatballs recipe

3 ratings

These Italian inspired sausage and fennel meatballs are packed with flavour from juicy pork and aromatic fennel seeds. These flavoursome bites are perfect when paired with penne pasta and served with fresh cherry tomatoes and Parmesan. The meatballs, once cooked, can be frozen for up to one month. See method

  • Serves 4
  • 15 mins to prepare and 15 mins to cook
  • 550 calories / serving
  • Freezable

Ingredients

  • 1 x 400g pack pork and onion sausages, skins removed
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
  • handful parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 300g penne
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 350g (12oz) cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • grated Parmesan, to serve
If you haven't got penne, try using fusilli or another short pasta

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    2320kj
    550kcal     28%

  • Fat

    21g 30%

  • Saturates

    7g 37%

  • Sugars

    9g 10%

  • Salt

    1.9g 32%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 71.4g Protein 23.2g Fibre 5.3g

Method

  1. In a bowl, combine the sausage meat, fennel seeds and half the parsley in a bowl. Divide the mixture into 28 portions (using half a teaspoon as a guide). Sprinkle with flour and roll into even-sized balls.
  2. Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water, following the packet instructions. Drain, reserving a little of the cooking water.
  3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the sausage balls and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes or until browned on all sides.
  4. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute, before stirring in the tomatoes. Increase the heat to high and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes have burst, then add the vinegar and cook for 1 minute more. Stir through the remaining parsley and season well.
  5. Add the cooked pasta and 2 tbsp cooking water to the pan; toss to coat. Stir in the cooked pasta with a couple of tablespoons of the pasta cooking water. Serve with grated parmesan on the side.

See more Italian recipes

For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.

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