Sun-dried tomato “meatballs” and herby garlic bread
Ingredients
For the “meatball” mix
- 80g dry, day-old bread
- 260g plant-based mince – I use Beyond Meat Mince
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- ½ onion, diced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, including stems
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 400g passata
For the herby garlic bread
- 4 tbsp plant-based butter
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ lemon zest
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 baguette or sourdough, sliced diagonally
Method
Blitz the old bread in a food processor to a rough crumb, tip into a large bowl and combine with the remaining meatball ingredients. With your hands, form the mixture into golfball-sized rounds and chill for about 30 minutes, to firm up.
Put two tablespoons of oil in a frying pan on a medium heat, then fry the balls, turning them occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and lightly charred all over. Turn the heat down low, add the passata and warm through, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. In a bowl, mix the butter, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, salt and black pepper, spread evenly on one side of the bread slices and bake for five to eight minutes, until the butter has melted and the bread is browning at the edges. Serve the meatballs with your favourite pasta and the herby garlic bread on the side.
