Meatballs with dried tomato cream, olives and capers

I just finished reading the recommendation of a book in which the author says that you learn to cook to love, to give pleasure, to like. Without love there is no cooking, there is survival. And these meatballs with cream of dried tomatoes, olives and capers are made with a lot of love in the Le Creuset cocotte. An ideal casserole, resistant and for life. Perfect for making lollipop recipes like this one.

Very simple to make, this recipe is to show off. You're going to need bread for sure. You are going to need bread to coat the plate with the remains of the cream of dried tomatoes, capers and olives. It is an Italian-inspired recipe with very interesting and intense flavors but without excess. If you wish you can accompany these meatballs with some long basmati rice and even some baked potatoes would go well.

With the Le Creuset Cocotte I have been able to elaborate the entire recipe from start to finish; The advantage of cocottes is that they are so beautiful that you can serve them directly at the table. I have used it together with Revol porcelain plates. The perfect table.

Revol plates from the No.W collection

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 250g of minced beef
• 250g of minced pork
• 1 large egg
• 90 gr of breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs with garlic and parsley
• 100 ml of milk (it can be vegetable, I used oats)
• 50 g grated Parmesan
• salt and pepper
• Breadcrumbs to mold

For the cream:

• 200 ml of white wine
• 200ml of water
• 6 dried tomatoes in oil
• 2 tablespoons of pitted black olives from Aragon
• 1 tablespoon of seasoned split green olives
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 large lemon (the juice and zest grated to serve)
• 1/2 clove of garlic
• fresh basil a bunch of about 20 gr.
• extra virgin olive oil

At your service:

• Chopped fresh basil, black olives and plenty of grated lemon peel

Preparation

1. To prepare the cream: In a food processor or blender jar, place the well-drained pitted olives, the well-drained sun-dried tomatoes, the rinsed capers, the fresh basil and 1/2 clove of garlic.
2. Blend for a few seconds until you get the consistency of a thick cream. Booking.
3. For the meatballs: In a bowl, soften the bread with the milk, squeeze it well with your hands to crumble it. Put it in a bowl together with the minced meat, the whole egg (without shell), the Parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper, mix the mixture with your hands.
4. You have just given consistency to the meatball dough by adding two tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Form 25 g balls with the dough and pass them through breadcrumbs (you can help yourself with some tongs for meatballs and croquettes).
5. To prepare the stew: Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in the Creuset cocotte and lightly brown the meatballs. They do not need to be cooked inside. Add the white wine, the lemon juice and let it evaporate for 2 minutes.
6. Add the water. Dilute the tomato cream in a few drops of water and add that too. Cover the pot and let it cook for 10 minutes over low heat. Uncover the casserole and cook for another 5 minutes until the sauce has reduced a bit.
7. Finally, serve with some black olives, some capers, plenty of grated lemon peel (it's the special touch), and a little chopped fresh basil.

Cocotte Le Creuset and Revol plates from the No.W collection