Superb Balsamic Polpettine With Arugula and Grilled Peppers

This is a beautiful and subtle Italian dish that I was introduced to during a cooking lesson. The secret is in the quality of the ingredients - the better your parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar, the more enchanting your polpettine (meatballs) will taste. Presentation is also a factor here: the dish is supposed to be as visually appealing as it is delicious. It takes a little time to get the peppers done but the result is well worth the wait!

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Grilled Peppers

• 3  red bell peppers
• 2  yellow bell peppers
• 2  garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1  tablespoon parsley, chopped
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper

• Polpettine

• 800  g ground pork, and or 800  g  ground veal
• 1  cup  chopped fresh parsley (or less if you're not fond of parsley)
• 3  egg yolks
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 200  g  high quality parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
• 1⁄2 cup  high quality  balsamic vinegar
• 4  cups arugula leaves, washed and dried
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Place entire bell peppers under the broiler at 230°C for one hour, turning them frequently.
2. Peel the hot peppers, remove seeds and membranes, cut them into 2-3cm wide strips, and place them on a plate.
3. Add garlic, parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper.
4. In a bowl, mix ground meat, half the freshly grated parmesan cheese, egg yolks, garlic, chopped parsley, salt and pepper and toss well.
5. Make meatballs with a diameter of approximately 2cm and roll them in flour.
6. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
7. Place meatballs in skillet and cook until done.
8. Place meatballs on a plate and drizzle balsamic vinegar to coat them completely.
9. On four plates, call on all your presentation skills and place meatballs on a bed of arugula leaves, surrounded by grilled pepper strips, and top with the rest of the grated parmesan cheese.