whip up a batch of balls, keep any extras in the freezer for a quick and easy weeknight taglietelle meatballs or meat-less sub
ingredients
1 tbsp ground flax seed (or chia seed)
3 tbsp water
1.5 cups boiling water
1 tsp tamari
1 tsp onion granules
1 tsp marmite
1/2 tsp miso paste
small handful of fresh thyme
salt and pepper
1 cup tvp (textured vegetable protein)
3 or 4 garlic cloves
2 handfuls of mushrooms, finely chopped
1 medium beetroot, grated
1 can kidney beans (or 1.5 cups of soaked and cooked)
1/2 cup mixed nuts
1 piece of bread (or 1/2 cup breadcrumbs)
recipe
in a small bowl, add the flax seed to the water and set aside to firm up to a flax egg
pour the boiling water into a large bowl, and add the tamari, onion granules, marmite, miso, thyme leaves and a pinch of salt and pepper, and whisk to combine
add the tvp, stir to fully incorporate, then cover and leave for 5 minutes to rehydrate
while you're waiting, tip the nuts and bread into a blender or food processor and pulse to create coarse crumbs. you could also finely chop the nuts, and use a grater on the bread
gently sauté the garlic in a good splash of olive oil, and add the mushrooms. cook off any liquid, and once slightly browned, add the beetroot, rehydrated tvp, kidney beans, bread, nuts and flax egg. remove from the heat and mash with your wooden spoon to mix and bind everything together
the mixture should be sticky, and form balls easily. if it's too wet, add a sprinkling of flour or more breadcrumbs
form balls with a large spoon, rolling in your hands, using a little flour to avoid a sticky mess. washing your hands between every few balls also helps. roll in ground flaxseed for an extra crispy finish, or sesame seeds if so desired
you can either fry the beetballs in olive oil over a medium heat, turning until all sides are brown and crispy, or pop them onto a baking tray and bake for around 25mins or until crispy
for meat-less beetball tagliatelle, make a quick tomato sauce;
1 tin of cherry tomatoes (or 3 big handfuls of fresh cherry tomatoes)
couple of garlic cloves
splash of balsamic
a few basil leaves
heat in a small saucepan, stirring regularly and adding water where needed, until broken down and thickened
in a saucepan, fry off the beetballs, add the tomato sauce and sauté until rich and delicious.
tip over fresh pasta, sprinkle with basil leaves and a homemade nut parmesan, and enjoy
