Sausage Balls with Fennel, Tomato, Orzo and Mozzarella
by Jane Lovett
A very tasty supper, served from the sauté pan in which it’s made. Rather than sausagemeat, use your favourite sausages, if you prefer – just slit their skins lengthways with a sharp knife to release the sausage meat.
Method
Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.
Step 1
Shape the sausagemeat into 12–14 ping-pong-sized balls. This is easiest done with wet hands to form a better shape. Slice the fennel, reserving the fronds for garnish if there are any. Slice the onion and crush the garlic.
Step 2
Heat the olive oil in a lidded 24cm sauté pan (that’s ideally about 6cm deep) and fry the sausage balls on a high heat until deep brown all over, about 10–15 minutes. Don’t be tempted to turn them until a good dark crust has formed underneath and they release willingly from the pan with no resistance, otherwise they will stick, leaving the crust behind in the pan. They may become a little misshapen, but that’s fine. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Step 3
Add the sliced onion and fennel to the pan and cook in the residual fat (adding a splash more oil, if necessary) on a medium heat until soft, about 5–10 minutes.
Step 4
Drain off all but one tablespoon of fat from the pan (if necessary) and then add the orzo, garlic, fennel seeds and dried thyme. Cook, stirring, for a minute or so, then add the crumbled stock cube, followed by the tomatoes. Fill the empty tomato tin with water (if cooking for 4) and add this, then season generously. Bring to the boil, check the seasoning and then return the sausage balls to the pan along with any leaked juices. Cover and simmer very gently for 15 minutes.
Step 5
Remove the lid and ruffle up the orzo. Dot the mozzarella (or burrata) over the top, breaking it up as necessary, then cover and cook for a few more minutes until the cheese is just melting and oozy. Remove the lid and leave to sit, off the heat, for 5–10 minutes, before scattering with the chopped fennel fronds (if using) and serving.
- Ingredients
- Based on 4 servings
-
A splash of Olive Oil, plus a little more if needed 1x Sainsbury's Olive Oil 500ml -
1 Onion, finely chopped 1x Sainsbury's Onions Loose -
250g Dried Orzo 1x Sainsbury's Orzo Pasta, Taste the Difference 500g -
1 Garlic Clove, crushed 1x Sainsbury's Garlic -
1 tsp Fennel Seeds, roughly ground/crushed 1x Sainsbury's Fennel Seed 34g -
0.5 tsp Dried Thyme, or use 2 fresh thyme sprigs 1x Sainsbury's Thyme 12g -
1 Chicken Stock Cube, crumbled 1x Sainsbury's Stock Cubes, Chicken 10x10g -
1 x 400g tin Chopped Tomatoes 1x Stamford Street Co. Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Juice 400g -
Maldon Salt, to taste 1x Maldon Sea Salt Flakes 250g -
1 ball Buffalo Mozzarella, or burrata, drained and thinly sliced 1x Stamford Street Co. Mozzarella Cheese Ball 125g -
400g Sausagemeat, rolled into ping-pong size balls 1x Sainsbury's Butcher's Choice British Pork Sausagemeat 400g -
1 Fennel Bulb, tough outer layers removed and stems discarded, then bulbs thinly sliced horizontally 1x Sainsbury's Fennel Loose