ITALIAN SHŌJIN SERIES: POLPETTE SENZA CARNE IN SUGO

INGREDIENTS:

To Make the Meatballs

90 grams Ground soy protein
50 grams Tenkasu (Tempura Crumbs)
60 grams Water
40 grams Tomato juice
10 grams Sea salt
2 grams Dried oregano
10 grams Potato starch
5 grams Rice flour
45 grams Olive oil

To Braise the Meatballs

1 ea Batch of Sugo di Pomodoro (link in the instructions)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1
PREPARE THE SUGO DI POMODORO. This is the sauce that we are going to braise the meatballs in once they have been fried. Here is a link to the SUGO RECIPE. It can be made a day or two in advance if you don't want to cook the meatballs right away.
2
REHYDRATING THE PROTEIN. Boil 1,000 grams of water. Place the ground soy protein in a heat-proof bowl and pour over the water. Rehydrate for 10-15 minutes. Strain off the water and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, gently squeeze with your hands to remove any remaining water. Set aside.
3
MAKING THE MIXTURE. Combine the tenkasu with the water and tomato juice. Set aside for 10 minutes to soften completely. This will help bind the mixture. While that is softening place the rehydrated protein into a large bowl and season with dried oregano and sea salt. Once the tenkasu is soft, add it to the bowl and mix well. Next add the rice flour, potato starch, and a few grinds of cracked black pepper (if using). Mix well.
4
SHAPING THE MEATBALLS. Tare a scale and work a small amount of the mixture in your hands (wet your hands slightly with water to prevent sticking) and form it into a small ball. Check the weight of the ball. You want it to weigh 30 grams. Adjust the weight as needed, then roll the ball between the palms of your hands to smooth the surface. Set aside on a clean plate or tray and repeat with the remaining mixture. You should have 8 balls when you are done.
5
FRYING THE MEATBALLS. Set a pan over medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, carefully add the meatballs one-by-one. As the meatballs are cooking, use chopsticks (or a spoon) to turn them so that they brown evenly on all sides. As the meatballs are ready, remove them from the pan and set them aside while the remaining meatballs finish cooking.
6
BRAISING THE MEATBALLS. Set the pot of tomato sauce over medium heat to get hot. Once it is starting to bubble, add in the meatballs. When all of the meatballs have been added to the sauce, give the pan a swirl to help submerge them in the sauce. Bring the pot to a simmer and braise the meatballs for 1 hour. The meatballs can be eaten immediately with some grated cheese and a drizzle of olive oil, or they can be cooled down and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Note

STORAGE. This recipe will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Cooling them and storing them for a day or two allows the flavors to meld together, so it is actually preferential, though they are delicious straight out of the sauce the day you make them. I like to eat some day of, and save the rest to enjoy later in the week with some spaghetti (Spaghetti con le Polpette).