Herby bread balls with tomato salsa

These bread balls are a surprisingly light and tasty to make as last minute starter or main course. It is made with a few simple ingredients that you will certainly have in your store cupboard. You don’t need to go shopping - on the contrary, you can make the most of any old bread left in the bread bin. In Puglia these balls are a real staple in many households: there, they are served as part of a ‘stew’, as described here. If you do not fancy the idea of a sauce with them, you can also serve them as they are, still warm, fragrant and crispy. In the first case they lend themselves to being a great main course; in the second case they are perfect as a starter.

Soak the small pieces of bread in milk. Meanwhile, break the eggs and beat them with grated cheeses. Squeeze the bread well and add it to the egg mixture. Then add the chopped parsley, salt, and the tip of a chopped up garlic clove. Mix well, crushing the bread with a fork. Set the mixture aside. Take a frying pan and fry the garlic in a little olive oil. Stir in the passata, a bay leaf, a pinch of oregano, and salt and pepper. Simmer for fifteen minutes. Meanwhile, heat some more oil. Fry the bread balls few at a time, dropping them in the oil with the help of two teaspoons. When the balls are fried, mix them quickly in the prepared sauce and serve.