Peperonata Chicken Meatballs
These chicken meatballs are sprinkled with pancetta and dipped in
tomato paste, making them as flavorful as they are colorful. Use
ground chicken, but it can be either white or dark meat. You may
want to prepare the meatballs while the peppers roast.
Ingrediënten
- 3 slices of Italian bread torn into pieces (about 1 cup)
- ⅓ cup of milk
- 3 ounces of sliced pancetta finely chopped
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 small garlic clove minced
- 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 pound of ground chicken
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of pepper
- For the peperonata:
- 3 red bell peppers cut into strips
- 1 ½ tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons of drained capers
- 1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
Instructies
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Move the racks to the upper and lower third of the oven.
- Soak bread in milk for about 4 minutes or until softened.
- Squeeze the bread to remove excess milk.
- Set aside. In a 10-inch skillet, cook pancetta, onion, and garlic in 1 tablespoon of oil with salt and pepper.
- Use medium heat and cook until onion is soften (or about 6 minutes).
- Cool slightly.
- Lightly beat egg in a large bowl.
- Combine chicken, pancetta mixture, bread, and parsley, and mix well.
- Form about 12 meatballs. Arrange the meatballs in a foursided sheet pan.
- Stir the tomato paste and remaining teaspoon of oil together in a small bowl.
- Brush the mixture over the meatballs.
- Bake the meatballs for 15 to 20 minutes in the upper third of the oven, or until they are cooked completely through.
- Toss the bell peppers with 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Roast them in a 4-sided sheet pan in the lower part of the oven.
- Stir occasionally.
- They are ready when they are tender and browned, which usually takes about 35 minutes.
- Stir together capers, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon of oil in a medium mixing bowl.
- Toss the roasted bell peppers with the caper mixture.
- Serve the meatballs on top of the peperonata.
