Variations on a theme, these Italian Meatball recipes can be accompanied by a salad, can be used for Spaghetti and Meatballs, can be skewered for a starter or bbq, can be turned into a Meatball Sub.

Italian Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients

500 g chicken mince or beef

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 garlic cloves, crushed

½ cup fresh gf breadcrumbs

1 tbs finely chopped basil

1 tsp finely grated lemon rind

¼ cup chopped Kalamata olives

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated

¼ cup gf plain flour

1 tbs spoon olive oil

Method

Combine mince, egg, garlic, breadcrumbs, basil, lemon rind, olives and parmesan in a bowl.

Place flour on a plate.

Shape tablespoon size balls and roll in flour to lightly coat.

Heat olive oil in frying pan on medium high. Add meatballs.  Cook and brown and turn meatballs.

Serve with salad.

(Claire Brookman, Courier Mail 6 March 2014)

Meatball Pesto Salad

 Ingredients

1 ½ tbs olive oil

1 onion finely chopped

1 clove garlic crushed

2 bacon rashers, finely chopped

500 g chicken mince

½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a non stick frypan.  Add onion, garlic and bacon stirringly occasionally over high heat until onion is soft.

Transfer to large bowl and cool for 10 minutes.

Add chicken mince and parmesan.  Season with salt and pepper. Mix well then roll into tablespoons sized balls.

Heat remaining oil in the frypan and cook meatballs turning occasionally until browned and cooked through.

Serve with a salad and just before serving drizzle store bought 150 g basil pesto which has been mixed with  2 tablespoon of boiling water to soften the pesto.

New Idea “Little Italy” Barbara Northwood.