Creamy fennel polpette with soft polenta

• 1 T olive oil
• 12 Woolworths pork-and-beef frikkadels
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 sprig rosemary
• chilli, to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1½ cups cream
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 70 g Parma ham, plus extra to garnish (optional)
• 150 g instant polenta
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup milk
• 2 T butter
• 50 g Parmesan , grated

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Fry the frikkadels until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.

2. Using the same pan, cook the fennel, garlic, rosemary and chilli for 5–7 minutes until soft.

3. Stir in the cream, lemon juice and zest, and season with salt and pepper. Return the frikkadels to the pan and simmer for 4 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add the Parma ham and simmer for a further minute.

4. Meanwhile, cook the polenta in the water and milk, stirring constantly until thick and creamy. Stir in the butter and Parmesan.

5. Serve the frikkadels and sauce over the soft polenta, garnished with more Parma ham if desired.

Cook’s note: To stretch this dish further, add wilted spinach or peas to the cream sauce before serving.

Find more Italian recipes here. 

Videographer: Barry de Villiers
Photographer: Jan Ras
Food assistant: Jacqui Burgess and Bianca Jones