Pork Meatballs and Watercress Pesto
Ingredients
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Pesto• 400g fresh tagliatelle• 100g pack watercress• Zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon• 1 garlic clove, crushed• 50g nuts (walnuts, almonds, macadamia or pine nuts)• 35g of grated fresh parmesan• 3 tbsp olive oil
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Meatballs• 300g pork mince• 300g meat from favourite / any pork sausage• 1 clove garlic crushed• Grated fresh ginger - thumb sized piece• 1 lemon or lime finely grated zest only• Finely diced red chilli• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds• Chopped handful of mixed fresh soft herbs - parsley, sage, coriander, chives, tarragon
Method
1. Place all the ingredients for the meatballs in a mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper.
2. Wet your hands and roll the mixture into 15 meatballs.
3. Preheat oven to 220oC – colour/fry the meatballs in a hot pan with a small amount of oil and then finish in the oven for approximately 10 mins until cooked through – core temp at least 75oc and browning.
4. Reserve 2 small handfuls of small watercress leaves and roughly chop the remainder. Put the chopped watercress into a small food processor with the rest of the ingredients for the pesto and blitz to a smooth paste. Add a splash of water if you need to. Season well.
5. Cook the linguine in a pan of seasoned, boiling water. Reserve a cupful of the pasta water, then drain the linguine. Tip back into the pan off the heat and add the pesto. Toss well with a splash of the reserved water so it makes a glossy sauce that coats the pasta. Season to taste. Serve in warmed bowls.
6. Portion and position the meatballs on top of the pasta with the remaining watercress over the top, and more lemon zest, if you like.
Watch our video to see how to make our Pork Meatball and Watercress Pesto
