Orecchiette with mini meatballs and escarole

Toast the pine nuts in a pan until golden brown.

In a bowl combine ground beef, sweet sausage out of its casing, panko and an egg; add finely chopped parsley and one clove of garlic, chopped pine nuts and raisins.

Cover the golden raisins with water heated about two minutes in the microwave to rehydrate and soften them; roughly chop.

Season with a little salt and black pepper, add grated parmigiano and mix by hand without overmixing.

Roll small meatballs onto a plate; freeze any extra mixture.

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a shallow dutch oven; cook the meatballs on medium heat, stirring periodically, until golden all over and cooked through.

Add a couple of crushed garlic cloves and a good pinch of hot pepper flakes to the oil for a few minutes.

Add the washed, roughly chopped escarole on top, cover and turn to low.

Boil the orecchiette in heavily salted water about two minutes shy of the package time, around 8 minutes; reserve some starchy water before draining.

Taste and salt the escarole; add the drained pasta with a little cooking water and more black pepper.

Add a touch more cooking water and a good handful of parmigiano; cook covered on medium high about a minute, then leave off the heat covered about five minutes.

Return to the heat one minute until bubbly, and serve with toasted pine nuts on top.