Ingredients
Wet
2 tbs Vegetable Oil
1 Onion, blitzed
1 stick Celery, blitzed
11 oz/300g Chestnut Mushrooms, blitzed
5 cloves Garlic, blitzed
1 tbs Dried Oregano
1 tbs Dried Basil
1 tbs Dried Sage
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbs Dried Rosemary
1 tsp Cracked Black Pepper
2 tsp Sea Salt
1 cup/240ml Red Wine
1 cup/240ml Vegetable Stock
3 tbs Tomato Puree
1 tbs Miso Paste
1 cup/200g firm tofu, patted dry & crumbled fine
Dry
3 & 1/4 cups/415g Vital Wheat Gluten
Broth Roasting Ingredients
1 & 1/2 cups/360ml Red Wine
1 cup/200g Chopped Tomatoes, from a can
1 & 1/2 cups/360ml Vegetable Stock
1 Bay Leaf
1 tbs Sea Salt
2 tsp Black Pepper
Handful Fresh Thyme
1 Sprig of Rosemary
Tomato Sauce
1 White Onion, finely chopped
3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
Handful Fresh Thyme, chopped
2 tsp Sea Salt
2 tsp Cracked Black Pepper
1 cup/240ml Red Wine
1 can Chopped Tomatoes
1/2 cup Water
1 tbs Tomato Puree
Serve with Fresh Basil
Pasta
Method
Place a large saucepan or frying pan over a medium heat with a touch of oil and add the blitzed ingredients with salt & pepper.
After a few minutes of sautéing add the dried herbs, followed by tomato puree & miso paste – then mix well.
Deglaze the pan with the red wine & vegetable stock, then bring to a light simmer.
Crumble in the tofu then allow the mix to simmer for a 4-5 minutes. Turn the heat off then prepare your mixer.
Add the wheat gluten to your mixer or a large mixing bowl (if hand kneading). Add the wet mix to the mixer & let it mix for 10 minutes at a medium speed. If kneading by hand, knead as firmly as you can for 12 minutes, not kneading enough will result in soft spongey meatballs.
After kneading, ball the dough up into meatballs, I recommend balls that are 40g in weight.
After balling place them into a deep baking tray ready for sautéing.
Pre heat your oven to 175 degrees C.
Add a touch of oil to a non stick pan placed over a medium heat, sauté the meatballs for 3-4 minutes, turning often until caramelised.
Place the caramelised meatballs back into the tray and add the broth roasting ingredients. Give the tray a shake and cover over with foil.
Place the tray into your oven for 90 minutes. After 90 minutes, your meatballs are done
Meatballs should be made in advance & can be stored in your fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for 3 months.
Before serving, I make a quick simple tomato sauce to serve with the meatballs. To a saucepan placed over a low heat with a touch of oil added, add onion, garlic, fresh thyme & seasoning – cook until golden. Deglaze the pan with red wine, a can of chopped tomatoes & a touch of water (to swill out excess tomato left in the can). Add some tomato puree then leave to simmer away for 10-12 minutes, stirring every now and then.
I like to sauté the cooked meatballs before serving then I add them to the tomato sauce, before serving with fresh pasta.
Enjoy