Serves: 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

500g Olga’s Fine Foods chevapchichi

¼ cup olive oil
20g butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 large field mushrooms, sliced
10 button mushrooms, halved
4 slices pancetta, finely diced
1 tbsp lemon thyme leaves
grated zest of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Soft polenta

250 ml milk
250 ml water
1 bay leaf
½ cup fine instant polenta
1/3 cup full cream
½ cup grated pecorino cheese
40g unsalted butter
shaved pecorino to serve
olive oil
extra lemon thyme

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Break each chevapchichi into half and shape into a ball, place on prepared baking tray.
3. Lightly spray or brush each meatball with oil and bake in oven for 10 – 15 minutes or till golden.
4. In a pan heat olive oil and butter over medium heat, add garlic, mushrooms, pancetta and lemon thyme. Increase heat and allow to cook, without stirring for 5 minutes, this will give nice colour and caramelisation to the mushrooms.
5. Stir and repeat to get lovely golden mushrooms. Add the lemon zest and season according to taste.

To cook the polenta

1. Bring milk, water and bay leaf to the boil, remove from heat, discard bay leaf.  Put milk back on low heat and gently pour (rain) in polenta, stirring continuously until it thickens, approximately 10 minutes.
2. When the polenta thickens, add cream and grated pecorino, stir to create a creamy soft mix. Adjust seasoning to taste.  The polenta should be soft and creamy, if not add a little extra milk to adjust.
3. To serve, place polenta into serving bowls, top with sautéed mushrooms and meatballs.
4. Garnish with shaved pecorino, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprig of lemon thyme.