Pork, 'nduja and goat's cheese meatballs
Serves: 6
Prep time: 45 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Stuart West
Pork, 'nduja and goat's cheese meatballs
Known in Italy as polpette alla mammolese, this is a beautiful Calabrian dish that’s very easy to make. But the ’nduja is what’s really special here, giving the meatballs spiciness without being too hot
Serves: 6
Prep time: 45 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
607Kcal
Fat
33gr
Saturates
11gr
Carbs
37gr
Sugars
5gr
Fibre
2gr
Protein
39gr
Salt
1.6gr
Theo Randall
Italophile Theo Randall runs his acclaimed restaurant at the InterContinental, having previously earned a Michelin star at The River Café. Theo takes an unfussy approach to delicious Italian food in his best-selling book, Pasta.
See more of Theo Randall’s recipes
Theo Randall
Italophile Theo Randall runs his acclaimed restaurant at the InterContinental, having previously earned a Michelin star at The River Café. Theo takes an unfussy approach to delicious Italian food in his best-selling book, Pasta.
See more of Theo Randall’s recipes
Ingredients
- 750g 10% fat pork mince
- 25g ’nduja
- 100g dried breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 50ml milk
- 75g soft goat’s cheese (without rind)
- 50g pecorino romano, grated, plus extra to serve
- ½ x 30g pack flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- 600ml passata
To serve
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
- 1 x 270g ciabatta, sliced
- 1 garlic clove, halved
Step by step
- Put the pork mince, ’nduja and dried breadcrumbs in a large bowl. In a jug, whisk the egg and milk together then add to the bowl. Dollop in the goat’s cheese and add the grated pecorino and parsley. Mix thoroughly until well combined. Take heaped tablespoonfuls of the mixture and shape into 20 or so meatballs about the size of a golf ball. Place on a baking tray and chill in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and the garlic in a large ovenproof frying pan for 1 minute, then add the passata. Cook over a medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture is reduced by half. Season to taste, then tip into a heatproof bowl and set aside. Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6.
- Clean the pan, then set it over a medium-low heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and the chilled meatballs and cook (in batches if required) for 5 minutes, turning, or until lightly browned all over. Return the tomato sauce to the pan and give it a good shake so that the sauce coats the bottom of the pan. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil on a griddle pan and griddle the ciabatta slices until golden and toasted on both sides. Remove from the heat and rub with the cut sides of the garlic clove.
- Spoon the meatballs and sauce onto a serving platter, drizzle with the extra olive oil, top with the extra pecorino and serve with the ciabatta.
