Summary

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 75 g bacon
• 1 small onion (s), diced
• 1 bunch soup vegetables, diced into small pieces
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 can tomato (s), chopped
• 250 ml chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• salt and pepper

For the meat:

• 50 g bacon, thinly sliced
• 300 g minced meat, mixed
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 pinch mustard
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon marjoram
• 4 tablespoon breadcrumbs
• 1 egg (s)
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 200 g mozzarella
• 200 ml oil

Moreover:

• 400 g pasta (maccheroncini)
• Parmesan
• basil

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Instructions

1. For the sauce, dice the bacon and fry in a little olive oil. When it has turned color, add the onions and sauté briefly, then add the root vegetables and bay leaf and fry with them. Finally, add the tomato paste, stir once and add a can of tomatoes and the same amount of stock. Season with salt, pepper and oregano and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the sauce has a creamy consistency. Stir again and again and, if necessary, add more water / broth.
2. For the Polpetti, finely dice the bacon and mix with tomato paste, mustard, oregano, marjoram, minced meat, breadcrumbs, egg, salt and pepper and a little milk. The mass should be compact, but still have a bond. Possibly add more breadcrumbs or milk. Let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
3. Cut the mozzarella into cubes about the size of a teaspoon. To shape the Polpetti, take approx. 4 heaped teaspoons of the meat mixture in the moistened palm and press flat. Place a piece of mozzarella in the middle, seal and shape into a ball. The mozzarella should be well enclosed without the balls becoming too big. I usually have a little left over from a Mozarella ball.
4. Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the Polpetti in portions one after the other. I always take a small wok, about 200 ml of oil, turn the polpetti and make them 2-3 times, keeping the finished meatballs warm in a baking dish in the oven.
5. In the meantime, cook the maccheroncini according to the instructions. I think they fit well because the cavity allows them to absorb the sauce particularly well. If I have a lot of time, I make strozzapreti myself. Mix the cooked pasta with the sauce and possibly some pasta water and serve immediately.
6. Place the pasta with the sauce on a plate, loosely distribute the Polpetti on top and sprinkle with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan. Garnish with basil if necessary.
7. Variant:
8. Mix a buffalo mozarella, torn into small pieces, into the pasta.