At the recent Plant Based Expo at Olympia, we tasked Chef Steve Walpole to get creative in an Unconventional way!
Steve was totally up for the challenge and created an Italian style street food menu, using the Unconventional range as the core ingredient. Showing that the Unconventional plant based products can absolutely used in unconventional recipes.
Here’s the first of Steve’s recipes that we shared at the Plant Based Expo – Italian Style Meatless Balls, with Spaghetti Cakes & Lovage Pesto
Inspired by Italian street food, this recipe for Unconventional meatless balls, with spaghetti cakes and lovage pesto is a real show stopper! Perfect for canapes and nibbles, or why not make them to enjoy as a light bite or create a larger version to enjoy as a main course?
If you prefer, substitute the lovage pesto for your favourite basil pesto for a delicious alternative.
Serves 10 portions
Give it a try at home and let us know what you think over on Instagram.
Method
For the Unconventional Meatless Balls
- Heat a pan and add the garlic, onions and herbs and sauté for 4-5 minutes.
- Once cooked remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and breadcrumbs and allow to cool.
- Combine the Unconventional burger mix with the onion mix and then mould into 20 -30 balls then flatten the bottom edge slightly.
For the pasta cakes
- Bring the water to the boil in a pan and then cook the pasta until tender then remove drain and chill.
- Combine the pasta with the passata and cheese and mix together, you may need to chop the spaghetti a little.
- Place a small amount of the pasta mix into a 4cm by 2cm mould and then bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 160c until slightly coloured and set. They can be pan fried for extra colour.
For the lovage pesto
- Blend the leaves with the garlic in a food processor.
- Add the cheese and pine nuts then blend for a few seconds.
- Now slowly add the olive and blend to a coarse paste
The final steps
- Sear the Unconventional meat balls in a pan to colour for a few minutes, then place in the oven at 160c for 5-6 minutes
- Place the pasta cakes onto a tray and place in the oven to warm through
- To serve, sit the pasta cake on the plate and add a spoonful of the lovage pesto. Skewer the meat ball and then skewer this into the pasta cake and serve.
Enjoy!
Recipe by Steve Walpole for Unconventional
Ingredients
For the Meatless ball mix:
| Unconventional Burgers | 220g |
| Dried Oregano | 1 Tsp |
| Dried Thyme | 1 Tsp |
| Lemon Zest | A squeeze |
| Diced Red Onion | 50g |
| Salt | A pinch |
| Breadcrumbs | 20g |
| Olive Oil | 1 Tbsp |
For the pasta cakes:
| Dried Spaghetti or Linguine | 150g |
| Water | To cover the pasta to boil |
| Tomato Passata | 50g |
| Vegan Parmesan Grated | 40g |
For the lovage pesto:
| Lovage Leaves | 10g |
| Basil Leaves | 10g |
| Vegan Parmesan | 20g |
| Garlic | 1 clove |
| Olive Oil | 3 Tbsp |
| Toasted Pine Nuts | 10g |
| Lemon Zest | A squeeze |