Apple and Herbs Meatballs are marvelous. And they are further evidence of the strong influence that Italian cuisine has had on Sammarinese cuisine. Even so, this Apple and Herbs Meatballs dish is still distinctively Sammarinese.

Apple and Herbs Meatballs Recipe-

Ingredients:

For the Meatballs-

• 4 oz. almond flour
• 2 oz. whole milk
• 18 oz. ground pork
• 1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and finely grated
• 1 red onion, peeled and chopped fine
• 4 oz. freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 6 sprigs of fresh lemon thyme, leaves only
• 1 large egg
• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and fine chopped
• grapeseed oil, for sautéing

For the Tomato Pasta Sauce:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and rough chopped
• 25 oz. fresh tomato sauce
• 6 sprigs of fresh lemon thyme, leaves only
• 1/2 cup grapeseed oil

To Serve-

• fresh thyme leaves, fine chopped, and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, for garnish

Directions:

1. Place all the tomato pasta sauce ingredients in an electric blender or food processor, and pulverize into one smooth, congruous sauce. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and put a large baking tray inside to heat it.
3. Place almond flour together with the milk in a large mixing bowl, stir together, and allow it to sit for a while to soften the flour.
4. Crack the egg open over the milky flour mixture, and lightly beat the yolk and whites in. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add in the ground pork, garlic, onion, apple, thyme, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and stir and mix together thoroughly. The best tools for this job? – Are your freshly washed hands.
6. Once the mixture is well combined, roll it into little balls – about the size of a golf ball.
7. Take the heated oven tray out of the oven and oil it liberally with grapeseed oil.
8. Moving fast but also carefully, arrange the meatballs onto the tray and place it back into the oven. Bake for about 7-8 minutes, until turning brown, and then turn them over and bake until the other sides are browned.
9. While the meatballs are baking, drizzle some grapeseed oil into a large large skillet over medium heat; once the oil is hot, add the garlic to sauté until it become soft and fragrant. Then add into the skillet your freshly prepared tomato pasta sauce and and a generous sprinkling of fresh lemon thyme leaves.
10. Place all of the meatballs into the sauce, including the cooking pan juices, and adjust the heat so your meatballs in sauce are just gently simmering.  Cook for about 20 minutes, and certainly no longer than 25 minutes.
11. Apples and Herbs Meatballs, drenched in the rich tomato sauce, are delicious with any pasta, or with couscous, and they can also be enjoyed just as meatballs with some grilled veggies on the side.

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