Ingredients
Chicken meatballs
500g chicken thigh mince
50g confit eschallot
1 bunch marjoram, picked and chopped
1 bunch oregano, picked and chopped
2 tbsp truffle paste
Murray River pink salt
Panko crumbs
To serve
400g fresh spaghetti or favourite dried pasta
200g chicken meat balls (or around 10 per person)
400ml brown chicken stock
1 bunch cavolo nero, washed, blanched and chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
2 tbsp confit eschallot
1 tbsp truffle paste
250g butter
150g pecorino
Murray River pink salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Recipe by Mitch Orr of Kiln
Photography by Jon Bader
Method
1. For the meatballs: Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, season with salt. Once all combined cook a small piece of the mix and taste to check for seasoning, adjust if needed. If the mix is a bit wet, add a small amount of breadcrumbs.
2. Roll chicken mince into small meatballs, no bigger than a 5c piece. It helps to have a little water to dab on your hands before rolling.
3. Drop the meatballs into a bowl with filled with panko and roll around until well coated.
4. Heat a pot of oil to 160°C. Fry the meatballs for 1 minute to seal them. Drain on paper towel.
5. Freeze any extra mix before rolling in breadcrumbs.
6. To serve: Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
7. In a large heavy based pot, sauté the garlic in some extra virgin olive oil until translucent and aromatic. Add in the confit eschallot and cavolo nero.
8. Sauté quickly, add the brown chicken stock and truffle paste. Bring to the boil.
9. Add in the butter. Emulsify the butter into the stock to form a shiny silky sauce.
10. Cook the spaghetti in the pot of salted water until al dente, strain.
11. Add the pasta to the sauce, add in the meatballs. Toss together and continue to cook until sauce and pasta are joined in unison.
12. Grate in some pecorino and toss through. Season with salt and pepper.
13. Plate up and garnish with more grated pecorino and another crack of pepper.
Wine Match
Merlot