Beef and ricotta polpette with Mutti Polpa, Parmesan and red wine: tender Italian meatballs slowly simmered in a rich, flavourful sauce.
4 people
1
Soak the bread in milk for approximately 10 minutes.
2
In a bowl, mix together the beef mince with egg, salt, pepper, chopped parsley, nutmeg, parmesan and ricotta.
3
Squeeze the milk out of the bread, add to the meat mix and combine well using your hands or wooden spoon. Using the palms of your hands, roll the polpette into balls the size of large walnuts and set aside in the fridge to firm up for 15 minutes.
4
In the meantime, pan-fry the chopped onion and garlic in a little olive oil until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the polpette and brown them on both sides. Once the polpette are brown add 1/2 cup of red wine and let the alcohol evaporate. Add the bay leaves, two tins of Mutti Polpa and water. Bring to the boil and turn the heat to low then simmer with the lid on for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
5
Serve the polpette ricotta while it is hot with crusty bread.
These beef and ricotta polpette are especially soft and succulent thanks to the addition of creamy ricotta and bread soaked in milk. Parmesan, parsley and nutmeg bring classic Italian flavours to the meatballs, while Mutti Polpa Finely Chopped Tomatoes creates a rich base for slow cooking. A splash of red wine and aromatic bay leaves add depth, turning this Italian polpette recipe into a comforting and generous main course.
After browning the ricotta meatballs with onion and garlic, let the red wine reduce before adding Mutti Polpa Finely Chopped Tomatoes and water. Simmering the polpette gently for at least two hours allows the meatballs to become beautifully tender while the sauce develops a fuller, more concentrated flavour. Serve the beef polpette piping hot with plenty of crusty bread, perfect for enjoying every last spoonful of the rich sauce.
