Polpettone vegetariano

Back to cooking after such a long time! So many things all happening at once and didn't really fancy cooking much, really... Yesterday I finally felt like experimenting and getting dirty in the kitchen again! I suspect Baby is a bit carnivorous and felt like I needed something wholesome and vegetarian after a string of greasychinese-burger-bacon cravings! I started looking for veggie and nut loaf recipes but decided to trust my culinary instinct, making up my own recipe and taking the risk. This is it!


Polpettone vegetariano (serves 4)

Milk as needed
A glass of fine breadcrumbs
A bag of beluga lentils ( I used the Merchant Gourmet  ready to eat ones)
400 grams of chopped carrots and suede (the ready diced Sainsbury's version can do in case of serious laziness)
2 shallots
Some Grated parmesan
Dried sage and rosemary
One egg
Salt and pepper as needed
Olive Oil as needed
Chopped hazelnuts
Sunflower seeds

Chop the shallots and cook with some extra virgin olive oil in a pan until golden. Add the carrots and suede, dried herbs, salt and pepper and cook for 20 minutes or until tender adding some water if needed.


In the meantime soak the breadcrumbs in a little milk ( THE Secret to all delicious meatballs and loafs), add the lentils, an egg, some parmesan, the vegetables, some hazelnuts and sunflower seeds. Shape this mixture into a loaf, sprinkle with some sunflower seeds and cook at 180 degrees in the oven for about 50 minutes. I served it with mash and an artichoke and white wine sauce which added a little tangy twist. Lesson learned, trust your guts and follow your own recipes!