Sweden - Meatballs with a Creamy Spinach Sauce

This is day 5 of 30 days of recipes around the world. 

Not going to lie, this one took me a few tries to get right. 

Now, we are there Of course fish and pickles would be more classic but meatballs are pretty popular too. 

This is a fresher take on the classic and beyond easy for dinner.

Serves 2
Makes about 20 meatballs
Ingredients:
300g sausages (about 5), skins peeled off, meat at room temperature
45g egg lightly beaten (basically a little under a while)
50g peas
50g grated cheddar or other hard cheese, plus extra for grating on top
2 tbsp olive oil
100g panko breadcrumbs
Small bunch chives, thinly sliced

For the green sauce:
260g fresh spinach
200ml hot veg stock
1 chunky grated garlic
Squeeze lemon juice
130g creme fraiche (about heaped 4tbsp)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt + pepper

Preheat oven to grill setting 220C degrees and grab your 26cm by 26cm baking tray.
Add sausage meat to a bowl + mash with a fork. Throw in egg, cheddar + mix. Stir throw the peas + roll into small golf-sized balls.
Add half the spinach into a blender with half the hot stock, squeeze lemon, half garlic, cayenne pepper, salt + pepper. Blend until smooth, about 15secs. Pour into baking tray + do the same with the rest! Add creme fraiche + stir through. Taste to check the seasoning! Dip each meatball into the panko breadcrumbs so the tops are just covered. Place each ball into the sauce evenly spaced out. Grate over a light layer of cheese + drizzle over with olive oil. Place at the top of the oven for 15mins or until the tops are golden + it is bubbling. Sprinkle over chives + add a spoon of Saucy Chilli Oil to make this fancy for a dinner party.