Foodie Lass Feed the Soul and Watch the Movie -The Godfather
Experience your own movie night with a fabulous recipe to share with friends. Take a nostalgic look back at the ‘Godfather’ or watch the latest offering coming to a cinema near you. An ideal film for a dark, wintry evening accompanied by a delicious bowl of Italian meatballs.
Do you remember when you first watched this movie or is this the first time?
A well-directed gangster movie by Frances Ford Coppola, starring such iconic stars as Marlon Brando and Al Pacino. The movie is full of fantastic visual scenes that leave you with unforgettable memories, and although littered with violence and dead bodies, a central theme is that food plays an important role in Italian life (even if it is a gangster movie) from family celebrations to eating out in a local restaurant. In particular, the scene where one of the actors playing the role of Clemenza explains to Michael Corleone how Italian-style tomato sauce with meatballs is prepared.
Now over to you – why not cook yourself up an Italian feast of meatballs to share with friends and watch the remastered version of the golden oldie?
Italian Meatballs
For 4
500g lean beef mince
2 tbsp breadcrumbs (1 slice toasted bread, grated)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 shallot or small onion, finely chopped
2 tsp dried oregano or a handful of fresh oregano leaves
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium free-range egg, beaten
400g organic tinned tomatoes
100ml chicken stock
1 medium yellow pepper, finely sliced
Pinch of rock salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
2 tbsp mascarpone
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, shaved
- Combine the beef mince with breadcrumbs, garlic, shallot, oregano and a small amount of beaten egg in a large mixing bowl. Season to taste.
- Knead individual handfuls of the mixture into small meatballs. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, add the meatballs and cook over a medium heat until brown, turning frequently but gently. Stir in the chicken stock, tinned tomatoes and sliced yellow pepper. Simmer the meatballs slowly for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and gently stir in the mascarpone then garnish with shaved Parmesan or an alternative hard cheese of your choice.
- Serve with a delicious crunchy, green salad and slices of sourdough bread to mop up the delicious tomato sauce.
Enjoy the sharing experience!
