When the mercury drops, the ultimate comfort is freshly cooked meatballs – especially when they’re swimming in a creamy tomato sauce!
Our version of this classic dish is tender, super tasty and easy to make. They’re a great partner with the Seaward Pinotage. This medium-to-full-bodied wine has abundant notes of cherry and mulberry and a richly complex palate.
(Serves 4)
For the sauce:
30ml olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely grated
2 cans whole tomatoes, pureed in a blender
10ml sugar
5ml smoked paprika
250ml fresh cream
salt and pepper, to taste
For the meatballs:
500-600g pork mince
1-2 slices white bread, processed to crumbs (about 1 cup)
½ cup spring onions, finely sliced (plus extra for serving)
5ml ground cumin
5ml smoked paprika
rind of a small lemon, finely grated
½ teaspoon salt
black pepper, to taste
olive oil, for frying
To serve:
500g pasta, freshly cooked and drained
METHOD
Prepare the sauce: in a medium saucepan, heat the oil and fry the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the pureed tomatoes, sugar, and paprika, and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, then add the cream and season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.
Prepare the meatballs: In a medium/large mixing bowl, add the mince, crumbs, spring onions, cumin, paprika, lemon rind, salt and pepper. Mix well using electric beaters or a wooden spoon. Use a spoon to scoop portions of the mixture into clean hands, then roll into balls (slightly bigger than golf balls) and set aside. In a large pan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the meatballs. Fry until golden brown on multiple sides, turning often, then pour the sauce all over and continue to simmer over low heat until the meatballs are just cooked (about 10-15 minutes). Serve hot over freshly cooked pasta, scattered with sliced spring onion.
About the wine:
Spier Seaward wines’ style and complexity have been strongly influenced by their coastal terroir. The Atlantic’s cooling breezes allow the vines to thrive in optimal conditions for gradual ripening. Minimal intervention is needed to produce a crop of outstanding quality, year after year. After careful crafting by our winemakers, the result is a Pinotage which has great concentration, balance and finesse.
Spier wines can be tasted and purchased at the farm in Stellenbosch and are widely available at retail outlets and supermarkets and online from shop.spier.co.za.