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Ingredients

  • 200g Swiss chard
  • 400g can white beans, such as cannellini or butter beans, drained and 2 tbsp liquid reserved
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 30g vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese, finely grated
  • 1tsp dried mixed herbs
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 30g breadcrumbs
  • 2tbsp olive oil
  • 300g wholemeal spaghetti
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2tbsp tomato purée
  • 250g cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped

Method

  • STEP 1

    Tear the leaves from the chard stems and finely chop both, keeping them separate. Heat a dry, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and cook the leaves for a few minutes until wilted, then transfer to a bowl.

  • STEP 2

    Put the beans, half the garlic, the cheese, herbs, egg and breadcrumbs in a bowl. Season well and mash together. The beans should be broken up, but not smooth. Pour in 1 tbsp of the reserved bean liquid to bind the mix, adding another 1 tbsp if needed. Using damp hands, roll into 12 ping-pong-sized balls.

  • STEP 3

    Heat half the oil in the pan used in step 1, and fry the ‘meatballs’ over a medium heat until brown, carefully turning using tongs so they don’t break, about 10 mins. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

  • STEP 4

    Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions. Heat the remaining oil in the pan. Stir in the chard stems, onion and a pinch of salt. Cook over a medium heat for 5 mins until softened, then mix in the remaining garlic. Fry for 1 min until fragrant, then add the tomato purée. Let the purée caramelise for 3-4 mins, then stir in the cherry tomatoes and 250ml water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-7 mins, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon until slightly thickened. Season well, add the browned balls to the sauce and serve with the pasta.

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