Chicken Meatball Penne - cooking recipe

Ingredients

250 g penne pasta
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 (185 ml) cans evaporated milk
1 cup frozen peas
salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
100 g feta, crumbled
fresh sage leaf, to garnish
Chicken meatballs
500 g ground chicken (Americans) or 500 g ground chicken (Australians)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
50 g fresh white breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg, lightly beaten
salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preparation

Cook pasta in a large pan of boiling, salted water until tender; drain; cover to keep warm.
To make the meatballs, combine the chicken, garlic, fresh breadcrumbs, chives, basil, parmesan and egg in a bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper, mix well and with floured hands, and shape the mixture into 12-16 meatballs, depending on the size of meatball you fancy.
Place the meatballs on a tray, cover loosely and chill for 30 minutes.
Heat the butter in a non-stick pan, over a medium heat, and saute the meatballs, turning occasionally, for 6-8 minutes, or until they are lightly golden-brown all over and fully cooked; remove from the pan and cover to keep the meatballs to keep them warm.
Heat the oil in the pan, add the onion, garlic and carrot, and saute until they have softened; add the milk and peas and bring to the boil; add the pasta; season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper; and cook until the pasta is hot.
Serve the pasta topped with the meatballs; sprinkle with the crumbled feta and garnish with sage.
To freeze: Make the recipe to the end of step 5. Divide the mixture among four ovenproof, freezer-proof (2-cup capacity) dishes; top with the meatballs and sprinkle with feta; cover tightly with plastic wrap; label and date and freeze for up to 2 months.
To serve: Thaw pasta in dishes in the refrigerator; remove the plastic wrap; place on an oven tray; cook in a hot oven (200\u00b0C) for about 45 minutes, or until hot, and garnish with sage.