fish balls:
400 g fish fillets, finely chopped
--- [NL: 500 g minced meat (pork & beef)]
1 egg
2-3 TB Parmesan, freshly grated
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
thyme, some sprigs, the leaves
--- [NL: 1 TS oregano, dried]
3 TB white bread crumbs
1 TS salt
pepper, freshly ground
tomato sauce:
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
thyme, some strigs
--- [NL: 1 heaped TS oregano, dried]
1 TB butter
1 TB olive oil
800 g strained tomatoes (tomato passata)
250 g water
1 pinch of sugar
salt & pepper, freshly ground
100 g milk
in addition:
pasta
parmesan, freshly grated
For the fish balls, mix well all ingredients to combine. Shape into small balls and refrigerate until usage.
For the sauce, finely puree the onion, garlic and thyme in a food processor. Heat butter and oil. Add the onion pulp and cook over low-medium heat for about 10 minutes. Take care not to brown the mixture, it should just become soft. Add tomatoes and water. Season with salt, pepper and sugar and simmer gently for about 10-15 minutes.
Stir in the milk. Add the fish balls, one by one. Cover the pan partially with the lid and let gently simmer for about 20-25 minutes. Do not stir before the fish balls are done, otherwise they could fall apart. At the end of cooking time, check the seasoning.
Cook pasta in salted water. Drain. In a bowl, mix pasta with most of the tomato sauce and about one third of the fish balls. Distribute remaining balls and sauce over the pasta. Serve with parmesan.
(Recipe modified; original source: Nigella Lawson, 'Leckerbissen')