Pesto pasta with chicken meatballs
 
This recipe was designed for kids who love pesto and want to add meatballs to it. By adding sweet potato it reduces some of the meat, while adding nutritional value to the dish.
 
Ingredients Serves 4
 
300g minced chicken or turkey
1 small red onion
1 sweet potato (baked whole and cooled) 1 garlic clove
1 egg
50g breadcrumbs, wholemeal if possible Parsley
30g Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
350g Dried spaghetti pasta
For the pesto:
70g Pinenuts
1 garlic clove
1 tsp Salt
1 large bunch of fresh basil leaves
30g Parmesan, finely grated, plus more for serving 80ml extra-virgin olive oil
 
Here’s how:
 
Place the chicken into a mixing bowl, scoop out the potato and add to the chicken along with the chopped red onion, garlic, egg, bread crumbs and cheese.
Season with a little salt and pepper and mix together.
Divide the mixture into 16 equal portions and roll into balls.
Place the meatballs onto a non stick baking tray and into the oven for 15 minutes at 180 °c.
Meanwhile place the pasta into a boiling pan of water and cook for 10 minutes. Now to make the pesto. Place the garlic, nuts and a sprinkle of salt into a pestle and mortar or a small food processor.
Blend or crush together with the olive oil.
Chop the basil leaves gently and add to the pestle and mortar or food processor and mix together.
Add the grated cheese and taste for seasoning.
When the chicken is fully cooked remove from the oven and place in a pan.
Lift out 1-2 ladles of pasta cooking water and add to the pan of meatballs followed by 2-3 tbsp of the pesto and stir together.
When the pasta is cooked lift out of the water with some tongs and stir together.
Try serving with Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, and Pinot Gris
 
Recipe by Peter Sidwell