Scandinavian-Inspired Pork Meatballs with Tagliatelle

SCANDINAVIAN-INSPIRED PORK MEATBALLS

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large onion, very finely diced
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs
• 700g pork mince
• 15g fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 15g dill, finely chopped
• 100g fresh breadcrumbs
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper
• 1 free-range egg, lightly whisked
• 750g fresh pasta

WHITE WINE AND STOCK SAUCE

• 50g butter
• 100g flour
• 100ml white wine
• 750ml chicken/beef stock
• 40g redcurrant jelly
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper
• 10g fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 10g fresh dill, finely chopped
• 100ml single cream

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ Fan 180°C/ Gas Mark 6 

Melt the butter in the casserole over a medium heat. Add the finely diced onion to the pan and gently fry for 4 - 5 minutes until the onions start to soften. Add the crushed garlic and mixed herbs and fry, stirring continuously, for a further 1 minute. 

Once the onions have softened nicely, remove from the heat and allow to cool. 

In a large bowl, place the pork mince, chopped parsley, dill, breadcrumbs and the cooled onion mixture. Add a generous pinch of salt and a crack of pepper before pouring in the egg. 

Using a wooden spoon, combine all the meatball ingredients thoroughly (but not overworking the mixture otherwise your meatballs will become tough), before dividing the mixture equally into 24. Roll each piece of mixture in the palm of your hands to form 24 round balls. Place on a lined baking tray and bake in the oven for 15 - 18 minutes until the meatballs are nicely coloured on the outside. 

In the meantime, make the sauce. Melt the butter in the casserole used to fry the onions (this will add extra flavour to the sauce). Whisk in the flour to create a roux. Stirring continuously, allow the flour to cook off for 2 - 3 minutes to create a paste. 

Add the wine, then slowly add the stock, continuously whisking to avoid a lumpy sauce. When the mixture thickens, add a little more stock. Repeat this until all the stock has been added. Whisk through the redcurrant jelly to sweeten. Season generously with salt and pepper before taking off the heat. Whisk through the herbs and single cream to finish the sauce. Place the meatballs in the sauce to keep warm whilst you cook the pasta. 

Cook the pasta according to packet instructions. Once cooked, drain and put in the pan with the meatballs and sauce. Gently stir together before serving immediately. 

Cook's Notes 

Have your baking tray lined and ready to place your prepared meatballs on, this makes it easier when you have dirty hands from meatball rolling. 

Moisten your hands with either water or a little oil before rolling out your meatballs - this prevents the mixture from sticking to your hands. 

Using chicken stock in your sauce will make for a slighter sauce, both in colour and flavour. Beef stock is a little more traditional and makes for a richer sauce. For a happy medium, use half and half.