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FEAST LIKE THE FRENCH

Manon Lagreve, who starred in the 2018 series of The Great British Bake Off, celebrates her French heritage and shares her love of cooking for family and friends with delicious dishes from her new book

BOULES DE VIANDE A LA MEDITERRANEENNE (Mediterranean pork meatballs)

Serves 4 Takes 1 hour 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS For the meatballs

• 250g/9oz minced pork

• 200g/7oz minced lamb

• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs

• 2 shallots, peeled and diced

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

• 1 tbsp herbes de Provence

• 1 egg

• 1 tbsp plain flour

• 1 tsp sea salt

• ½ tsp cracked black pepper

• 2 tsp olive oil

• A handful of chopped parsley (optional)

For the tomato sauce

• A drizzle of olive oil

• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

• ¼ tsp fennel seeds

• 1 tbsp dried oregano

• 1 x 400g tin of good-quality cherry tomatoes

• 1 tbsp honey

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1. Put all the ingredients for the meatballs, except the oil and the parsley, in a large bowl, then use clean hands to mix everything together. Shape into around 24 evenly sized meatballs.

2. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, then add the olive oil and cook half the meatballs for 5 minutes, until cooked through and browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside while you cook the remaining meatballs, then set aside.

3. Make the tomato sauce in the same pan. Add a drizzle of oil and fry the garlic for a few minutes over a low heat, then add the fennel seeds and oregano. Add the cherry tomatoes, honey, salt and pepper, then heat through, mixing the ingredients together.