Meatball Gratin with Egyptian Spinach

recipes
Written By Habitat Co

This dish transforms a classic steakhouse side into a hearty meatball gratin. Egyptian spinach, with its natural mucilaginous properties, thickens the cream base as it cooks, creating a luscious texture. The consistency can be adjusted by varying how finely the leaves are chopped before cooking. A touch of lemon juice can help moderate the thickening effect, but use caution—too much acidity combined with cream may cause the base to split. The result is a rich, creamy gratin with a perfect balance of flavors and textures.

Recipe contributed by Sean Koh (@seanjjk_)

 

Ingredients:

For the meatballs (yields 16 -18 pieces) * Use a fattier pork to get a nice ratio of lean to fat meat

  • 200g Minced pork

  • 200g Minced beef

  • 7g Mint (1 loosely packed cup), finely sliced

  • ½ tsp Dried oregano

  • 20 cracks of black peppercorn (~ 1 tsp of powder)

  • 2 tsp Garlic powder

  • 2 tsp Salt

  • 3 - 4 cloves Garlic, minced

  • ½ no Yellow onion, finely diced

  • 200 ml Full fat milk

  • 2 pcs White bread

For the gratin

  • 6 packed cups of Egyptian spinach

  • 200 ml Heavy cream

  • 80 - 100g Mozarella cheese

  • 2 no Yellow onion, roughly diced

  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced

  • Lemon juice, optional

  • Salt, black pepper to taste

 

Method:

Step 1

In a mixing bowl, combine the dry spices and minced meat.

Step 2

Soak the bread in a separate bowl, until it is almost too soggy to hold its own weight. Squeeze the excess milk gently and reserve ityou can use this to wilt the spinach later. Using your hands, break the bread up into the mix and begin folding the mix on itself. (Tip, a bit of water or oil will keep the mix from sticking to your hands.) Once the mix starts to firm up (it will feel bouncy to touch), wrap it and set it aside to marinate for 20-30 minutes.

Step 3

During this time, wash and rinse your spinach and prepare the rest of the ingredients for the gratin. How finely you chop your spinach will determine how slimy the dish will turn out.

Step 4

Before you cook, preheat your oven to 180c fan speed 3, with the top griller on.

Step 5

In a pan large enough to fit 16-18 meatballs, add equal parts of oil and butter to cover the base. Let it gently come up to heat as you start shaping your meatballs (around 40g per piece). Bring the heat up till the oil is shimmering, then add your meatballs in a clockwise or counter-clockwise fashion, until you reach the centre of the pan. Lightly salt your meatballs in the pan. At this point, the first meatball you added in should have started to brown. Check them in order and flip as you go along.

Step 6

Once the meatballs have all browned, remove from the pan and add your onions and garlic in to sweat. Once aromatic and translucent, add your spinach in. Add the reserved milk to wilt the spinach, cover and let simmer for 3-5 minutes, be careful not to bring it to a boil.

Step 7

Add the meatballs back in, and lightly stir to mix the contents evenly. Then, add your cream in and let it reduce on a gentle simmer for 10 minutes, stirring the pan every few minutes.

Step 8

With the oven ready, remove the pan off the heat and add your cheese over the top. Bake until a golden brown crust is formed. To check if the meatballs are done, look for an internal temperature of 70c, or use a testing pin and ensure the juices are clear.

Step 9

Finish with lemon juice, salt and black pepper to taste.

Note: You can still achieve a melted cheese finish on the stove. Simply add the cheese and cover with a lid - the steam will slowly melt the cheese. However, you would need a torch to create a browning effect.

Habitat Co
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