With this recipe, you will have enough meatballs for 2 dishes, you can freeze half of them or use half of the quantities for he ballsballs.
! This is a recipe for the meatballs. To make it into a balanced and complete meal, serve with pasta or grains and some salad or cooked veggies. !
For the meatballs
240 g or 1 can of boiled butter beans (Lima beans)
a small bunch of dill
2 basil stalks
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp olive oil
450 g ground chicken
For the sauce
400 g passata (Mutti is best)
1 garlic clove, finely choped
2 basil stalks
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp thyme
1 tbsp olive oil
For serving
15 g (small piece) aged cheese
basil
1 handful cherry tomatoes
Blend beans with dill, basil leaves from 2 stalks, garlic and olive oil.
Mix the beans with ground chicken and then incorporate 1 egg. The prepared mass does not hold its shape very well, but don't be disincouraged by that, trust the process! It will set during cooking and hold well after (and as a result, you will get uniquely soft meat balls with a soft texture).
Take the mass with a spoon, make balls. Put them in a pre-oiled pan that can be used in the oven and cook them at 180 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Or cook on the oventop in a regular pan until slightly golden on both sides.
Mix the passata with garlic, basil and the herbs. Pour the sauce over the balls and continue cooking in the oven or on a low flame without a lid for 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated (the sauce will have become more distinctly orange too). If it seems too thick even before cooking, add a little water.
To serve, sprinkle with grated cheese, some fresh basil leaves and cherry tomatoes cut in half. Optionally drizzle over some olive oil
Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 2 - 3