Serves 4
For the meatballs:
1 tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp chilli flakes
½ onion
80g fresh white breadcrumbs
40ml milk
500g pork mince
30g Parmigiano Reggiano
handful of parsley
For the pesto:
50g pine nuts
2 small bunches of basil
1 small clove of garlic
40g Parmigiano Reggiano
For the broth:
1 fennel
4 baby courgettes
200g orzo
1.4l chicken stock
1 Parmigiano Reggiano rind
salt, pepper and olive oil
Start by prepping your meatballs. Grate your onion into a medium sized bowl, then add your breadcrumbs and milk. Give it a mix so that it's all combined.
Finely chop your parsley. Add both of your minces to the bowl along with your parsley, fennel seeds, chilli flakes and 1 tsp of salt. Grate in your Parmigiano Reggiano, then give it all a really good mix with your hands.
Roll your mixture into 12 equal sized balls, then pop them in the fridge to set up for a bit.
Meanwhile, make your pesto. Pour your pine nuts into a dry frying pan, and toast for 2 minutes over a medium heat until they are lightly toasted. Allow them to cool slightly.
Add your pine nuts to the small barrel of a food processor, along with your basil - stalks and all. Bash your clove of garlic to remove the skin, and add that in too. Grate in your Parmigiano Reggiano, then run the food processor, and slowly drizzling in 60ml of olive oil as you go. You should have a vibrant green sauce. Season your pesto with salt and pepper.
Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, then get your meatballs in there. Fry them for a couple of minutes on each side until they are nice and brown, but not cooked through.
Finely dice your fennel, and finely slice your courgettes.
Get 2 tbsp olive oil heating up in a large saucepan. Fry off your fennel for 10 minutes until softened and just starting to caramelise, then add your courgettes. Cook these for 5 minutes more.
Pour your orzo into the broth, then gently nestle your meatballs into the pan, along with the rind of your Parmigiano Reggiano. Simmer it for 8 minutes.
Season up your broth to taste, then remove the Parmigiano Reggiano rind. Spoon it into bowls, then top it with your pesto. Serve it up.