Tuna and Fennel Polpette
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Prep Time
30 Minutes
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Cook Time
45 Minutes
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Yield
16
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Difficulty Level
Easy
Ingredients
- 60ml olive oil
- 1 medium fennel bulb (about 300g), cut into 6 wedges, fronds reserved
- 1 large onion, cut into 6 wedges
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 x 185g can of tuna in spring water, drained
- 1 cup of fresh breadcrumbs
- 80g parmesan, grated
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 1 egg
- 500g tomato passata
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Add the fennel and onion wedges to a tray and drizzle over 1 tablespoon of the oil.
- Season with salt and roast for 25-30 minutes or until tender and slightly caramelised, 5 minutes before the end of cooking add pine nuts to toast.
- Reserve 1/2 the onion for later and add the remainder to a food processor along with the fennel and pine nuts and 1 garlic clove. Pulse 3-4 times to finely chop and then add the breadcrumbs, parmesan and egg.
- Season with salt and pepper and pulse again until a rough ‘mince’ forms. Add the tuna and pulse 1-2 times, so it is just combined.
- Wet your hands with water (this will make rolling easier) and divide the mixture into walnut-sized balls.
- Place polpette onto the baking tray and drizzle a little more oil over. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden.
- In the meantime, finely chop the reserved onion and place into a sauté pan with a tablespoon of the olive oil.
- Fry for a minute along with the remaining garlic and then add the passata.
- Add a splash of water and season to taste and cook for 15 -20 minute, or until thick and rich.
- Once the fennel and tuna polpette are cooked place in the sauce and coat. Garnish is fennel fronds and serve with toasted sourdough.
| Servings: | 4 |
| Ready in: | 75 Minutes |
| Course: | Dinner, Entreè, Finger Food, Snack |
| Recipe Type: | Canapés, Video Recipes |
| Ingredient: | Tuna |
Tuna and Fennel Polpette
If you like the texture and flavour of meatballs then you’ll love these tuna and fennel polpette. The fennel adds a slight aniseed flavour to the dish. Make a batch for the family tonight and see if these become your new family favourite. Watch Justine Schofield show you how.
Did you know?
Italy has its version of meatballs called polpettes, but they differ from their American counterpart in multiple ways. They are primarily eaten as a meal itself (plain) or in soups and made with any meat from turkey to fish. Often, they are no bigger in size than golf balls; in the region of Abruzzo, they can be no bigger in size than marbles and called polpettines.
