Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
1 ½ pounds ground pork
⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ grated Granny Smith apple
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon allspice (don’t skip this—it makes a big difference!)
1 large egg
For the Sweet Potato Mash:
2 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 cup water
Cream, to taste
Salt, to taste
For the Garnish:
Fresh sage leaves
Butter (for frying the sage leaves)
Instructions
Prepare the Sweet Potatoes
Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into large chunks.
In a pan, melt a bit of butter and fry the sage leaves until crispy. Remove and set aside for garnish.
In the same pan, add the sweet potatoes, 1 cup of water, a splash of cream, and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
Make the Meatballs
Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).
In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, panko, grated apple, sage, garlic, salt, pepper, allspice, and egg. Mix gently until everything is well incorporated.
Shape the mixture into about 24 meatballs and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 15–18 minutes, then switch to broil for a minute or two to brown the tops.
Finish the Sweet Potato Mash
Once the sweet potatoes are tender, mash them to your desired texture. Adjust with additional cream or salt if needed.
To Serve
Spoon the sweet potato mash onto plates, top with the pork-apple-sage meatballs, and finish with crispy fried sage leaves.