Recipe by Melie’s Kitchen
Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients:
800g chicken mince
3 cloves garlic, minced
⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ cup finely grated parmesan
1 tsp each dried Italian herbs & chilli flakes
1 handful fresh sage leaves
Sage & Mascarpone Pasta
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp each butter, finely chopped fresh sage & thyme
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ cup Babydoll Sparkling Rosé
1 ¼ cups Israeli couscous
650-750 ml chicken stock
⅓ cup mascarpone
2 handfuls baby spinach
½ cup finely grated parmesan
Method:
Add all of the meatball ingredients, except for the sage, to a large bowl along with 2 tsp flaky sea salt. Mix together, until combined. Using gloves (or oiled hands), roll heaped tablespoons of the mixture into balls.
Heat a generous drizzle of olive oil in a large, deep frying pan on medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 8-10 minutes, turning often, until golden and cooked through. Add the sage leaves to the pan for the final 2 minutes of cook time. Transfer meatballs to a plate and keep warm.
Return the frying pan to medium-high heat. Add the butter, sage, thyme, shallot and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until softened and fragrant. Add Babydoll Sparkling Rosé, stir and bring to a simmer. Add the couscous and stock (start off with 650 ml). Cook over medium heat for 12-15 minutes, stirring often, until the couscous is just tender. Add more stock to the pan as needed during cooking if it starts to look a bit dry. Stir through the mascarpone and baby spinach, until wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve the pasta topped with the meatballs. Garnish with extra herbs and grated parmesan.
