Serves 4 | Prep 20 mins + chilling | Cook 1 hr
600g sweet potatoes
200g spinach, washed
1 free-range egg
20g butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp double cream
100g fresh breadcrumbs
50g soft vegetarian goat’s cheese
1 tsp finely chopped rosemary
1 tsp salt
40g vegetarian Parmesan-style
cheese, finely grated
40g Japanese panko breadcrumbs
freshly ground black pepper
Sweet potato and goat’s cheese balls
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7 and line a large baking tray with non-stick baking parchment.
2. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking tray and bake for 40 minutes, or until their flesh is soft and can be
easily pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven, allow to cool to the touch, then peel.
3. Put the washed, still wet spinach into a large pan and add a splash of water. Cook over a high heat, turning the spinach over regularly, until it has wilted and softened. Squeeze it between two plates to get rid of any excess liquid, then chop it finely.
4. Mash the sweet potato in a large bowl with the egg, butter, garlic, lemon juice and cream. Add the spinach, fresh breadcrumbs, goat’s cheese, rosemary, salt and a generous twist of pepper and mix thoroughly, using your hands. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour, to chill and set a little. Depending
on the water content of the potatoes this can be quite a wet mixture, so add more breadcrumbs if you feel it won’t hold its shape.
5. Mix the Parmesan-style cheese and panko breadcrumbs together and put on a plate. Take the vegetable mixture out of the fridge and form it into 14–15 balls each about 5cm in diameter. Roll the balls in the cheese/panko mixture and place them on the prepared baking tray.
6. Bake the balls in the oven for 15–20 minutes, turning the tray around halfway through, until the balls begin
to brown on top. Keep an eye on them to make sure that they don’t get burnt underneath.