Polenta with Meatballs, Pesto, & Tomato Sauce

Polenta with Meatballs, Pesto, & Tomato Sauce





​Prep Time: 30 Min
Cook Time: 50 - 55 Min

Yields: 4 Servings

WHAT YOU NEED

Meatballs

• 340g Impossible Beef
• 2 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
• 1/2 Yellow Onion, finely diced
• 2 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1/4 C Cooked Brown Rice
• 1/2 Tsp. Dried Basil
• 1/4 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
• ​2 Tbsp. Grana Padano, grated
• 1/4 Tsp. Sea Salt
• ​Cracked Pepper to taste

Tom Sauce

Extras

• 1/4 C EVOO
• 1 Yellow Onion, diced
• 2 stalks Celery, chopped
  
• 1 Carrot, peeled & chopped
  
• 4 cloves Garlic, crushed
  
• 1/2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
  
• 796ml San Marzano Tomatoes
  
• Handful Fresh Basil
  
• 1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
  
• 1/2 Tsp. + Sea Salt 
  

• 1 C Fine / Medium Ground Corn Meal *1
• 5 C Water
• ​1/2 Tsp. + Sea Salt
  
• 4 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
• Prepared Pesto *2
• 1/3 C Grana Padano, grated
• Fresh Basil, Fresh Parsley - Garnish

NOTES:
*1 Do not buy precooked polenta or corn meal. It might save you on time but it rarely competes with polenta that's been cooked low and slow.
*2 Store bought pesto is just fine when you're already making everything else from scratch. However, freshly prepared pesto is definitely more satisfying, so I've linked my Walnut & Basil pesto for y'all below.
www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/cheesy-tortellini-pesto-skillet

DIRECTIONS

• POLENTA - Add the polenta and water to a medium sized pot set to medium high heat. bring to a boil and once boiled, reduce the heat to low, whisking constantly as it thickens and the boiling slows down. Once the boiling subsides, cover and cook 35 - 45 minutes until fluffy and fully cooked, stirring every 5 - 10 minutes. You may need to add more water as it cooks to allow the polenta to fully cook and get nice and fluffy. Once completed, fold in the butter, grana padano, and season with salt. Taste and adjust salt / butter if desired.
• TOMATO SAUCE - Begin heating the EVOO, pepper flakes, and garlic, in a medium sized pot set to just about medium heat. Once heated, let everything sizzle for about a minute before adding the onion, celery, carrot, and a good pinch of sea salt. Stir and cook 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and continue to cook another 2 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes and make sure to crush / break them up a bit. Rinse out the can with about 1/3 C water and pour that into the pot as well. Once the sauce boils, add the fresh basil, 1/2 Tsp. sea salt, and reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and simmer 25 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Taste and adjust salt if desired. Leave in a covered pot set to low until service.
• MEATBALLS - Preheat oven to 400 F. Mix everything together in a mixing bowl until combined. Take about 1 heaping Tbsp. of the mixture and roll into meatballs. You should get 12 equal sized balls. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Flip and continue for another 5 - 10 minutes until cooked through. Remove and season with sea salt.
• For service, spoon polenta into the center of a serving plate, letting it fill out the center as it sets. Ladle a little sauce over the polenta before nestling 3 meatballs in the center of the plate. Ladle more sauce over top of the meatballs followed by a few dollops of pesto. Garnish with grana padano, fresh basil & parsley, and a pinch of salt to finish. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG