Tue, 14 January 2025
Ingredients –
Meatballs
· 400g Beef Mince
· 400g Pork Mince
· 150g Bacon Lardons
· 1 free range egg
· ½ cup of breadcrumbs
· 4 garlic cloves, chopped garlic
· 2 tbsp chopped rosemary leaves
· 3 Fresh Mozzarella Balls, keep some back for topping
Sauce
· 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
· 1 onion, finally diced
· 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
· 1 tbsp chopped rosemary leaves
· ¼ tsp of chilli flakes
· 700ml tomato passata
· 1 tsp sugar
· Salt and black pepper
Method –
1. Preheat the oven to 160c
2. Grab a large bowl and add in the mince, bacon, egg, breadcrumb, rosemary and season. Massage everything together until evenly mixed and is nice and sticky.
3. Dice the mozzarella balls into rolling dice sized chunks. Wet your hands with cold water (this stops the meat sticking), dived the meet mix out into the rough size you want, I like to give everyone 3 large meatballs so 12 balls in total. Now using your hands roll the balls into circles and push a cube of mozzarella into the centre and seal it up. Set aside on a plate and repeat until all are done. Refrigerate for 30 minutes while you make the sauce.
4. Place a wide based pan on to a medium heat and add the olive followed by the onion and garlic. Cook gently for 10 minutes then add the rosemary & chilli followed by the passata. Add the sugar, season and bring to the simmer. Cook on a gentle simmer for 10 minutes adjust the consistency with water if it gets too thick.
5. Grab a skillet or a pan with metal handles, place the skillet on a high heat and when very hot add olive oil swirl it around the pan to coat. Season the meatballs and add to the pan brown all over for 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat and pour in the tomato sauce, stir it all up to make sure it evenly coats the meatballs. Add the extra mozzarella dotted around the pan and place in the oven for 40 minutes or until the cheese is caramelized and the meatballs are cooked through.
6. Carefully remove from the oven and serve up with cooked pasta or this even goes with mash potato!
