Why don’t we think about using fish in ‘meatballs’ more often? Polpette, kofte, fishballs, call them what you will, they’re a terrific way to serve fish. And they’re a great way to lure those who are take-it-or-leave-it about fish to eat more. I used haddock but any firm white fish will work well (and a mackerel version is on my list to try). Serve with a spicy tomato sauce as I did here, or forget the sauce and stuff into flatbread with salad and aioli.
If you don’t have harissa in your kitchen artillery you need to rectify. I’ve always used Belazu Rose Harissa (not an ad, it’s just the best there is!) - it’s a very simple way to elevate simple ingredients into something tasty and interesting. (Stir into minced meat for burgers, stews, pasta sauce, marinate chicken/meat and so on). And unlike curry paste, I don’t feel guilty not making it from scratch. One note though: the amount of harissa paste I used here was based on the Belazu version - other pastes vary in fireyness so use your discretion.
Serves 4
For the sauce
a splash of olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 heaped teaspoon (or more if you like it extra spicy) harissa paste
2 tins chopped tomatoes
a pinch of sugar
For the polpette
600g skinless white fish fillets like haddock, hake or cod, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon harissa paste
1 garlic clove, chopped
grated zest 1/2 lemon
a handful chopped flat leaf parsley, plus extra to serve
olive oil for shallow frying
Method
For the sauce, pour a good splash of oil into a medium pan, add the onion and a pinch of salt (I always start cooking onion in cold oil to help stop them colouring) and cook gently, stirring now and then, for 10-15 minutes until soft and sweet. Stir in the garlic and harissa paste and cook gently for a few minutes more, being careful nothing burns.
Add the tomatoes and sugar, stir well, and then leave to simmer while you get on with the polpette.
For the polpette, place all the ingredients except the oil in a food processor and blitz until every is chopped fine and well combined, but stop short of a fine paste. Some texture is good.
Using wet hands, roll the mixture into large walnut-sized balls - you should be able to mke 16.
Pour enough oil into a heavy frying pan to come 5mm or so up the sides, and when hot, add the polpette. Cook over a medium heat, turning them now and again, until they are pale gold. (Don’t turn them too often. They need to develop a bit of a crust so so as not to stick to the pan, and I find a metal spatula works well for this).
When the polpette are done, gently pour the sauce into the frying pan with the polpette, and gently turn them in the sauce to coat.
Serve with your favourite pasta, grains, or rice.