Lentil meatballs cooked in tomato sauce: a mixture of drained lentils, breadcrumbs, Parmesan and herbs, browned in a pan with garlic and then cooked in tomato purée, finished with fresh basil.
Drain the lentils well from their liquid and transfer them to a bowl.
Add breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, herbs and a pinch of salt; mix until you get a dry but moldable mixture (the texture should resemble slightly damp sand).
Shape the meatballs one by one with your hands, compacting them well.
Heat a drizzle of oil in a pan with a crushed garlic clove; add the meatballs and brown them on both sides until lightly golden.
Remove the garlic, pour the tomato purée over the meatballs, adjust the salt, cover with a lid and let cook for a few minutes until the sauce has developed flavor and the meatballs are cooked through.
At the end of cooking, add torn fresh basil and let it flavor for a minute before serving.
Serve hot, accompanied by country bread or pasta, if desired.
Bowl
Colander
Pan
Lid
Spoon or spatula
In the refrigerator for 2-3 days in an airtight container. They can be frozen (raw or cooked) for about 1 month.
Vegetarian recipe. For firmer meatballs, add more breadcrumbs; for softer meatballs, use less. Also excellent frozen; reheat with a little sauce before serving.
Italia, Campania
| Energy (kcal) | 597.94 |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 6.01 |
| of which sugars (g) | 2.78 |
| Fat (g) | 62.79 |
| of which saturates (g) | 9.09 |
| Protein (g) | 1.84 |
| Fibre (g) | 1.58 |
