Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F)

Start by preparing the meatballs. Put the ground beef in a bowl and add the riced boiled potato, the crumbled sausages, the grated pecorino cheese and the finely chopped garlic clove with sage leaves. Pound the fennel seeds in a mortar, reducing them into powder, sprinkle them into the bowl.

Mix all the ingredients with your hands. Season with salt and pepper, but do not exaggerate as you have already used savory ingredients, such as the pecorino and the fresh sausage.

Shape the meatballs with your hands, as big as a walnut, and roll them into the flour. Place the meatballs in a baking pan lined with parchment paper, then drizzle with olive oil. Gently shake the pan so that the meatballs, rolling in the pan, will be evenly coated with olive oil. Arrange the meatballs again into the pan, keeping them slightly spaced, and bake for about 20 minutes, until golden. Remove the meatballs from the oven and set aside.

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large, deep pan with two cloves of garlic – leave the skin on and crush them with the palm of your hand – and some sage leaves. When the garlic has infused the olive oil and the sage leaves begin to get crisp, pour the beans with a few ladle full of their cooking water, add the tomato paste, stir and cook over low flame. Season with salt and pepper. Let the beans simmer over a gentle heat for about twenty minutes, then add the meatballs and cook for further ten minutes.