Polpette al Sugo

1. Preparation: remove the thicker stems from the parsley and finely chop the leaves. Grate the Parmesan cheese and chop the shallots. Fry the pine nuts in olive oil and a little salt until golden brown. Set aside.
2. Rolling the polpette: mix the minced meat with the parsley, egg, breadcrumbs and about half of the Parmesan cheese. Knead into a firm, cohesive mass. If the mixture is too moist, add some extra breadcrumbs. Roll into balls, about the size of a ping pong ball.
3. Fry the polpette & make the sauce: heat a generous dash of olive oil in a frying pan and fry the polpette on all sides until lightly browned over medium heat. Add the chopped shallots and crushed garlic. Fry briefly until translucent, but do not brown. Add the Bertolli Basilico tomato sauce. Tip: add a small splash of water to the empty jar, shake briefly and pour this into the sauce to get everything out of the jar. Let the sauce simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Parmesan crisps: cut a piece of baking paper to the size of the diameter of your frying pan and place it in the pan over low heat. Spread the cheese evenly over it and bake until it has melted and begins to brown slightly. Set aside and let cool.
5. Peel cherry tomatoes (optional): use a sharp knife to cut a small cross in the bottom of the tomatoes. Boil them for 5 minutes in a pan of water, rinse with cold water and peel off the skins. Add them to the sauce later or reheat them. This step is not essential, but it does make the dish extra tasty and looks great.
6. Pasta: cook the pasta in plenty of water with a pinch of salt. The cooking time is 10-12 minutes; start tasting after 9 minutes. The pasta is ready when it is al dente. Tip: preheat the plates by placing them on the steaming pasta pan.
7. Serving: First spoon some sauce onto a warm plate. Then place the polpette on top, so that they rise nicely above the sauce. If desired, scatter the peeled tomatoes in between. Add the pasta and finish the dish with the Parmesan crisp, pine nuts and a few basil leaves.

Buon appetito!

Wine recommendation: Chianti Classico or Montepulciano d’Abruzzo