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Friday, September 24, 2010

Let's Take the "MEAT" Out of Meatballs - Part II

Vegetarian Balls (Polpette di Vegetali)

Vegetarian Balls

Serves 4


Ingredients

1 lb. potatoes
½ lb. chopped spinach
1 carrot
1 cup fresh peas (if not availabe use frozen peas)
1 finely chopped onion
2 eggs
½ cup parmiggiano reggiano
One or two tablespoons of milk
2 tablespoons of chopped basil
2 teaspoons of paprika
3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup of vegetable oil for frying

Sauce (see below)

Preparation

Wash the potatoes and boil them for about 25 minutes. Once cooled, remove skin and rice them. Boil the carrot until soft. Cook washed spinach in its own water. Boil peas for about 10 minutes. In a pan add the extra –virgin olive oil, saute’ onion, add cooked spinach, carrot and peas, salt and pepper. Mix together and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Incorporate the potato puree, the cooked vegetables, cheese and eggs and milk. Mix well together and form into balls the size of a peach.
In a pan, add 1 cup vegetable oil. When hot, saute’ the vegetable balls few at a time. Remove into a plate with paper towel.
On a platter place the sauce, add the vegetable balls and sprinkle the balls with paprika and serve.

Sauce

6 fresh tomatoes or 2 cups chopped canned tomatoes
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove sliced garlic
Basil sprig
Parsley sprig

Salt and pepper
In a saucepan,add oil, saute’ garlic until golden, add tomatoes, parsley, basil, salt and pepper
Simmer for 20 minutes.

Images: ©2010 - picasaweb




6 comments:

  1. What a terrific recipe!! I will try this one next week for a girls' weekend at the beach. Everyone is so health conscious and one gal has celiac. This will be a perfect accompaniment with wine before dinner!!

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  2. I love "meatballs" but we must get away from meat once in while. Let me know if you like them.

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  3. Awesome idea! My hubs is a vegetarian and on our first *date* he invited me over and made me nutballs- a similar version of yours, but using ground nuts, eggs and cheese to form the balls. It was one of the best things I've ever eaten- and I still beg him to make them for me.

    I'll have to try your version too Elisa!

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  4. Robin - Thank you for stopping and commenting.

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  5. I ate something similar to this in Argentina earlier this year, made from potatoes and spinach... they were delicious! Look forward to trying this version, too!

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    1. Thank you, Jo, for commenting. I hope you will enjoy this version.

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