A gorgeous meat-free alterative for Christmas dinner courtesy of AGA Demonstrator Penny Zako.
For the sauce
3 red peppers – seeds removed and cut into chunks
1 onion – diced
2 garlic cloves – crushed
1 tbsp. light olive oil
½ tsp. fennel seeds
500ml sieved tomatoes ‘passata’
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
For the meatballs
15g dried porcini mushrooms – cover with boiled water soak 15 minutes, then drain and chop finely
400g brown tinned lentils - mashed
50g hazelnuts – chopped finely
1 garlic clove – crushed
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. fennel seeds
25g vegan cheese – grated
1 tbsp. tomato puree
1 tbsp. olive oil
Serves 4
For the sauce
1. Place the peppers, onion, garlic, oil and fennel seeds in a Hard Anodised Baking Tray. Roast in a moderate oven, the top of the AGA baking oven until the peppers start to caramelise, around 25-30 minutes.
2. Remove from the oven and stir in the passata and the balsamic vinegar; return to the oven for a further 15 minutes. Allow to cool and then blitz until smooth.
For the meatballs
1. Mix all the ingredients together apart from the olive oil, to make a slightly sticky mixture. Place a piece of Bake-o-Glide on a ceramic roasting dish, the Delamere Spode Rural for AGA Roasting Dish is ideal.
2. Roll the mixture into 20 balls and place into the fridge for at least an hour.
3. Drizzle with the olive oil and cook in a moderate oven, 2nd set of runners from the top in the AGA baking oven. After 15-20 minutes gently shake the tray and return to the oven for a further 15 minutes to cook through.
To serve reheat the pepper sauce and serve tapas style or pour the sauce into the ceramic roasting dish and place the meatballs on top, ready to chill and reheat to serve later.
