Have you ever thought of transforming ordinary finger food into something tasty and original? I propose these super balls with tuna and peas sauce, whose filling is not meat-based but rather potato mash! Moreover, for the breading, I didn’t use eggs, but the sauce itself, with which I stuffed them and then coated them externally before rolling them in breadcrumbs! An incredible delight that will conquer all your guests, believe me! You can choose to fry them if you are a street food lover, but I naturally baked them for healthier cooking! They will still be perfect for an informal buffet with friends, as quick and tasty snacks or as a main course accompanied by a fresh salad. At my place, they disappeared in no time, so much so that I didn’t even have time to stop my husband’s uncontrollable and ravenous enthusiasm, who grabbed them with his fork, even the ones I had saved for the final shot! Being larger than usual balls, they are quite filling! I thought it was a great deterrent, yet it wasn’t enough, and those you see are the only survivors!

Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Medium
Preparation time: 45 Minutes
Portions: about 10 large balls
Cooking methods: Electric oven
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: All seasons

355.30 Kcal

calories per serving

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Energy 355.30 (Kcal)
Carbohydrates 36.05 (g) of which sugars 3.13 (g)
Proteins 18.54 (g)
Fat 16.03 (g) of which saturated 3.40 (g)of which unsaturated 3.03 (g)
Fibers 4.95 (g)
Sodium 1,228.16 (mg)

Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA^* and FoodData Central^** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.

^* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ^** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov

Ingredients

⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it won’t cost you anything extra!

4 potatoes (medium)
1 egg
1.5 oz Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (grated)
4 tbsps breadcrumbs (+ as needed for breading)
1.75 oz emmenthal
1 tbsp milk
3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
1 pinch salt
as needed mixed peppercorns
1 golden onion
11.25 oz tomato purée (I used cherry tomatoes)
4.25 oz frozen peas
5.25 oz canned tuna in oil (Sicilian)
4 leaves basil
as needed extra virgin olive oil
1 pinch salt
mixed peppercorns

Tools

1 Pot
1 Potato Masher
1 Fork
1 Saucepan
1 Knife
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Plate
1 Baking Tray
1 Parchment Paper

Preparation

Wash the potatoes, cook them in plenty of water for about 25′, until they are soft. Drain them, and while still hot, remove the skin, then mash them with a potato masher. Add the egg, parmesan, and a little milk. Salt, pepper, complete with 4 tablespoons of breadcrumbs, and mix (fig. 1).
In a pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and the roughly chopped onion and sauté over low heat until it becomes crispy and golden (fig. 2).
At this point, add the tomato purée, salt and pepper to taste, and continue cooking for 10′ (fig. 3).
Then add the frozen peas and continue over low heat for another 5′ (fig. 4).
Drain the tuna from the internal liquid. Transfer the tuna to a plate and shred it with a fork to break it into small pieces. Add it to the sauce and cook for another 10′, over low heat, adding a little hot water if needed (fig. 5).
Turn off, season with basil, and let it cool completely. Then take small portions of the mash at a time (about 1 level tablespoon), flatten them slightly, place a square of emmenthal at the base, and add a teaspoon of tuna and peas ragu (fig. 6).
Cover with a little more mash and shape your balls, which will be slightly larger than normal. Dip them in the tuna sauce as you would with beaten eggs (fig. 7).
Then roll them in breadcrumbs, making sure to coat all sides and remove the excess (fig. 8).
Place them gradually on a baking tray lined with parchment paper until the ingredients are used up. Drizzle the surface with a bit of oil (fig. 9).
Bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for about 20′, then turn them and let them cook for another 10′. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
And voilà… the potato mash balls with tuna and peas ragu are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from La Cucina di FeFè!