Sage Lemon Keftedes on Anchovy-Lemon Rigatoni

 4-5 leaves fresh sage,
1/4 white onion
2 cloves garlic
salt & pepper
a pinch red pepper flakes
1/3 cup bread soaked in milk
juice of 1 lemon
tablespoon of balsamic glaze, or teaspoon of balsamic vinegar
pinch of oregano

Blend in a mortar & pestle or mince in a blender & mix well with the meat. Any poultry mince will work well, pork too, i use turkey breast mince and sometimes veal. The quantities above are good for around 500 grams of meat, only use 3-4 meatballs per person, and refriregate the rest of the mixture for the next day, it will simply marinade better. Season well.

Leave at least 30 minutes to marinade lightly, shape into small balls and roll each one in a lightly floured surface.

Shallow fry for a couple of minutes, in a little olive oil, shuffling the pan or turning them over to cook evenly. Put out with a splash of white wine, and add the juices to the sauce below before serving.

- The pasta sauce

1/2 cup white onion finely chopped
1/2 cup shallots finely chopped
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tsp tomato puree
3 tbspn olive oil
A pinch of Capers In Salt, de-salted ; use good wild salted capers, not those in vinegar or brine, or ommit.
2 pomodorini halved
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, whole.
4 whole anchovy fillets, broken into bits
low salt chicken stock, or fresh chicken stock
3 small courgettes, sliced thinly & sauteed in a griddle or a little oil.
5 sage leaves

start by gently sauteeing half the onion and the shallots together with the garlic clove in the olive oil.
A minute in, add the anchovies and red pepper flakes and cook very gently, without touching the anchovies, let them sit still.
About 3-4 minutes later when the anchovies look like they d disolve if you moved them, add white wine and let evaporate.
Add tomato paste, lemon, the sauteed courgettes, the pomodorini, the capers and the stock, bring to a boil and then lower heat and simmer gently for around 30-40 minutes, stirring and adding water when dry. Thicken the sauce with some of the pasta water.

Just before serving, add the remaining sage to the sauce.



- For the pasta, cook just under the package instructions and shock in cold water, then when sauce is ready spoon half of it out of the pot & keep warm with the keftedes, finish cooking the pasta in the sauce, then serve with the rest of the sauce spooned with the keftedes.
Serve with Grana padano, grated, or just some more sage & lemon