Having a ball!
Presented with a matzo ball, Marilyn Monroe wondered whether there were any other parts of the matzo one could eat. She would have approved of Jez Felwick’s new book, which contains no trace of the matzo, but provides an otherwise definitive guide to meatballs.
Indeed, meatballs are having quite a moment. They’re the food of choice in stylish London bars, where they’re called sliders and come three to a plate with a fancy dipping sauce. As you might imagine, these are not meatballs as one used to know them – these are mini and made from pretty much anything.
In his book, Felwick – who is to be found at music festivals dispensing food to fans from a grass-covered van known as the Lawn Ranger – deals with mini and maxi balls and has added a selection of dipping sauces and relishes to go with them, matched by a wide selection of ballsy puns. It’s an amusing book, telling you all kinds of things you didn’t know (the Romans reckoned peacock meat made the best meatball), as well as introducing alternative versions: courgette and asparagus, tuna and ginger, even smokin’ bacon balls. The meatball is easy and cheap, and a great friend to the leftover.
What could be nicer on a winter’s day than a steaming bowl of balls in a sauce? Here are a couple of recipes to give you a taste of the book, and a simple tomato sauce
The Bowler’s Meatball Cookbook by Jez Felwick, with photography by Christian Barnett, is published by Mitchell Beazley, priced £16.99.
Serves 5–6
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/ gas mark 7 and line 2 large baking trays with non-stick baking parchment. If you don’t have two trays, cook the balls in batches.
Heat the oil in a large heavybased pan. Add bacon lardons and cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes, or until crispy. Put the breadcrumbs into a mixing bowl. Remove the lardons from the pan to a board and pour the juices and oil from the pan into the breadcrumbs. Chop lardons finely, then add them to the crumb mix and allow to cool.
Beat the eggs and cream in a large mixing bowl, then add the ricotta, mixing to break up any large lumps. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix with your hands until well combined.
Heat a small frying pan over a high heat. Break off a small amount of the mixture, flatten between your fingers and fry until cooked. Taste to check the seasoning and the smokiness and add more salt, pepper and paprika if necessary. Form the mixture into 30 balls, each 5cm in diameter, packing each one fi rmly, and place them on the prepared baking trays.
Bake for 15–18 minutes, turning the trays in the oven halfway through – the balls should begin to brown on the top. Keep an eye on them to make sure that they don’t get burnt underneath.
Serve with a simple tomato sauce and a slab of potato rösti, or with a fried egg and wildmushroom sauce or hollandaise.
Serves 4–6
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/ gas mark 7 and line a baking tray with non-stick baking parchment.
Beat the egg into a large bowl. Add all the other ingredients and mix with your hands until well combined.
Heat a small frying pan over a high heat. Break off a small amount of the mixture, flatten between your fi ngers and fry until cooked. Taste to check the seasoning and add more if necessary.
Form the mixture into 18 meatballs about 5cm in diameter, packing each one fi rmly, and place them on the prepared baking tray.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, turning the tray halfway through – the balls should begin to brown on the top. Keep an eye on them to make sure that they don't get burnt underneath.
Serve with couscous and honey-roasted vegetables. Any leftovers are just as nice cold for a super-charged packed lunch that will make your colleagues green with envy.
Serves 4–6
Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Turn down the heat and cook gently for 3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and oregano and cook slowly. Break up the tomatoes with a spoon and add a little of the reserved juice, if necessary.
Slowly cook the tomato mixture for one hour, uncovered. Season to taste with a little sugar, salt and pepper, then serve with meatballs or pasta
Indeed, meatballs are having quite a moment. They’re the food of choice in stylish London bars, where they’re called sliders and come three to a plate with a fancy dipping sauce. As you might imagine, these are not meatballs as one used to know them – these are mini and made from pretty much anything.
In his book, Felwick – who is to be found at music festivals dispensing food to fans from a grass-covered van known as the Lawn Ranger – deals with mini and maxi balls and has added a selection of dipping sauces and relishes to go with them, matched by a wide selection of ballsy puns. It’s an amusing book, telling you all kinds of things you didn’t know (the Romans reckoned peacock meat made the best meatball), as well as introducing alternative versions: courgette and asparagus, tuna and ginger, even smokin’ bacon balls. The meatball is easy and cheap, and a great friend to the leftover.
What could be nicer on a winter’s day than a steaming bowl of balls in a sauce? Here are a couple of recipes to give you a taste of the book, and a simple tomato sauce
The Bowler’s Meatball Cookbook by Jez Felwick, with photography by Christian Barnett, is published by Mitchell Beazley, priced £16.99.
SMOKIN’ BACON BALLS
Serves 5–6
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 200g oak-smoked bacon lardons
- 150g breadcrumbs
- 2 free-range eggs
- 100ml double cream
- 200g ricotta cheese
- 750g beef chuck steak, minced
- 150g Applewood Smoked Cheddar, coarsely grated
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/ gas mark 7 and line 2 large baking trays with non-stick baking parchment. If you don’t have two trays, cook the balls in batches.
Heat the oil in a large heavybased pan. Add bacon lardons and cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes, or until crispy. Put the breadcrumbs into a mixing bowl. Remove the lardons from the pan to a board and pour the juices and oil from the pan into the breadcrumbs. Chop lardons finely, then add them to the crumb mix and allow to cool.
Beat the eggs and cream in a large mixing bowl, then add the ricotta, mixing to break up any large lumps. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix with your hands until well combined.
Heat a small frying pan over a high heat. Break off a small amount of the mixture, flatten between your fingers and fry until cooked. Taste to check the seasoning and the smokiness and add more salt, pepper and paprika if necessary. Form the mixture into 30 balls, each 5cm in diameter, packing each one fi rmly, and place them on the prepared baking trays.
Bake for 15–18 minutes, turning the trays in the oven halfway through – the balls should begin to brown on the top. Keep an eye on them to make sure that they don’t get burnt underneath.
Serve with a simple tomato sauce and a slab of potato rösti, or with a fried egg and wildmushroom sauce or hollandaise.
LAMB, GOAT’S CHEESE AND CARAMELISED ONION BALLS (pictured top)
Serves 4–6
- 1 large free range egg
- 120g caramelised red onions, chopped (buy a jar or make them yourself)
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 500g minced lamb shoulder
- 100g goat’s cheese, crumbled
- 100ml milk
- 150g breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 3 tbsp finely chopped basil
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/ gas mark 7 and line a baking tray with non-stick baking parchment.
Beat the egg into a large bowl. Add all the other ingredients and mix with your hands until well combined.
Heat a small frying pan over a high heat. Break off a small amount of the mixture, flatten between your fi ngers and fry until cooked. Taste to check the seasoning and add more if necessary.
Form the mixture into 18 meatballs about 5cm in diameter, packing each one fi rmly, and place them on the prepared baking tray.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, turning the tray halfway through – the balls should begin to brown on the top. Keep an eye on them to make sure that they don't get burnt underneath.
Serve with couscous and honey-roasted vegetables. Any leftovers are just as nice cold for a super-charged packed lunch that will make your colleagues green with envy.
SIMPLE TOMATO SAUCE
Serves 4–6
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, halved
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 x 400g cans of Italian plum tomatoes, drained, with their juice reserved
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- sugar, to taste
Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Turn down the heat and cook gently for 3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and oregano and cook slowly. Break up the tomatoes with a spoon and add a little of the reserved juice, if necessary.
Slowly cook the tomato mixture for one hour, uncovered. Season to taste with a little sugar, salt and pepper, then serve with meatballs or pasta