Crystelle Pereira shares recipe for Asian-style spaghetti and meatballs

Crystelle Pereira, a "Great British Bake Off" finalist, is sharing a dish from her brand-new cookbook.

Titled "Flavour Kitchen: Vibrant Recipes with Creative Twists," the author, influencer and host says this "book is for cooks and bakers of all levels," and is divided into "Sweet" and "Savory" sections to cater to a variety flavors and ingredients.

I cook and bake in the same way that I eat," Pereira says in the introduction. "I always want to try something new; something exciting, interesting and unique. When I create my own dishes, it's exactly the same: I want to make something original."

Showcasing that here is her recipe for Asian-style spaghetti and meatballs. Check out the passage and recipe below, and see the video for more about her creation process.

Asian-style Spaghetti and Meatballs

This is basically what you would get if stir-fried noodles and spaghetti and meatballs had a baby. Udon noodles are the perfect vessel, because they are quite sturdy and have a lovely chew to stand up to the Asian-inspired pork meatballs, flavored with Chinese five spice, garlic, and chili. And, rather than a standard tomato sauce, this is packed with all the aromatics (soy, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar) and marries everything together superbly. It's salty, slightly sweet, fragrant, and utterly delicious.

For the meatballs
4 1/2 cups (17 1/2 ounces) ground pork (I use lean, 5% fat pork, but any should do)
5 scallions, finely sliced (use only the green parts, reserving the white parts for the sauce), plus 1 extra to garnish
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese five spice
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper coconut or avocado oil, for frying

For the sauce
5 scallions, finely sliced (white parts only, see above)
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 2/3 cups (14 ounces) chicken broth (use 1 stock cube)
2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
1 teaspoon maple syrup
6 teaspoons sesame oil
Four 5 1/2-ounce nests udon noodles (I use precooked, vacuum packed noodles)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F (200 C or fan/gas mark 7).

2. First make the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and use your hands to mix everything together really well. When combined, take heaping teaspoons of the mixture and roll these into balls. You should end up with 16.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat and, once hot, flash-fry the meatballs for 1-2 minutes, just to get some color, then transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until fully cooked and the juices run clear.

4. Now, for the sauce. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meatballs from the pan, and set these aside, leaving the juices in the pan. Place the pan back over low heat and add the whites of the scallions, along with the garlic and chili flakes, infusing. Fry for 3-5 minutes, until the onions have softened, then add the tomato paste and fry this off for a few minutes until darkened.

5. Next, add the rice wine vinegar to the onion mixture to deglaze the pan, and give everything a good mix. Then, add the soy sauce, chicken broth, ketchup, maple syrup, and half the sesame oil. Mix well to combine, bring to a simmer, and then cook for a few minutes until the sauce has reduced slightly.

6. Submerge the noodles in the sauce and cook for about 2 minutes until separated. Then stir gently, and continue to cook over low heat until the noodles have soaked up most of the sauce, and they look glossy. Finally, add in the meatballs, toss well to combine and drizzle over the remaining sesame oil. Garnish with a finely sliced scallion and enjoy!

TIPS
If you are using dried or frozen udon noodles, simply cook these separately per package directions in salted water, drain, and then add them to the sauce in step 6. There is not a binding agent in the meatballs, as I love to break them up into the noodles to eat them -- however, if you want more sturdy meatballs, feel free to add an egg to the mixture.

Excerpted from "Flavour Kitchen" reprinted by permission of Octopus Books Ltd., a Hachette UK Company. Copyright © 2023 by Crystelle Pereira.