Pork, Ricotta & Fennel Seed Meatballs with Tomato Cream Butter Beans
Recipe: https://recipestripper.com/recipes/7b802a08-be1e-4491-953b-9646a96fedad
Original source: https://www.mob.co.uk/recipes/pork-ricotta-fennel-seed-meatballs-with-tomato-cream-butter-beans
Recipe image: https://mob-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/recipes/2025/4/Family-Pork-Ricotta-Fennel-Seed-Meatballs-with-Tomato-Cream-Butter-Beans.jpg

Making meatballs is a great way to stretch the quantity of meat you buy, bulking it out with extra ingredients that bring flavour and boost texture.
Yield: 4 servings
Prep time: PT40M
Cook time: PT40M
Total time: PT80M

Ingredients
- 400g Pork Mince
- 100g Ricotta
- 1 Egg
- 50g Breadcrumb
- 30g Pecorino Romano
- 1tsp Fennel Seed
- Salt (to serve)
- Black Pepper (to serve)
- Olive Oil (to serve)
- 2 Garlic Clove
- 2tbsp Tomato Purée
- 2x 400g Can Butter Beans
- 200ml Double Cream
- 10Leaf Sage
- 0.5tsp Chilli Flakes
- 2tbsp Olive Oil

Instructions
1. Lightly crush your fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar, if you have one. Leave them whole if not. Now, combine the mince, ricotta, egg, breadcrumbs and fennel in a large bowl. Mix well, then finely grate in the pecorino and season generously with salt and pepper. Vigorously mix for a couple of minutes, until the mixture feels cohesive and a bit sticky.
2. Wet your hands and roll the mixture into balls about the size of ping-pong balls. Put the meatballs onto a plate and chill for 30 minutes to firm-up. If making ahead, cover and leave in the fridge until the next day.
3. Finely chop the garlic. Set a large frying pan over a medium heat, add enough oil to lightly coat the base, then fry the meatballs in a single layer in a large frying pan over a medium heat, in batches if needed, for 5-8 mins until nicely browned all over. Transfer to a plate, leaving the fat behind in the pan.
4. Drain the beans, keeping the liquid for later if needed. Add the garlic and sage to the pan, then cook over a medium heat for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the tomato purée and a big pinch of chilli flakes, then stir in the beans and cream and season well. Heat the oven to 200°C.
5. Bring the pan to a simmer, then add the browned meatballs back to the pan with an optional splash of water to loosen just a little (no more than 80ml). Bring the pan back up to a simmer, put the lid on and transfer to the oven for 25-30 mins, or until the meatballs are fully cooked through. Add the reserved bean liquid if it needs loosening. You can remove the lid and give the pan a flash under a hot grill to colour if you like, but this isn’t a necessity.
6. Remove from the oven and finish with extra grated pecorino, a splash more olive oil and a few extra chilli flakes, if you like.