Baked Meatballs & Garlic Bread

Method

1. 1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs (except the oil). Season with salt and pepper and mix until completely and evenly combined.
2. 2. Form large golf ball sized meatballs by rolling them in your hands. Transfer to a large baking sheet. Keeping a small bowl of cold water for dipping your hands in after each meatballs will prevent things getting too sticky.
3. 3. Repeat with the remaining mixture. If liked, these can be prepared in advance, covered and refrigerated for up to a day in advance.
4. 4. Place a large frying pan over a medium high heat and add a good glug of olive oil. If all the meatballs don’t fit in the pan at once, fry half the meatballs until browned on all sides, this will take 8-10 minutes, and then transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper. If doing two batches, wipe out the pan with kitchen paper, add another glug of oil and fry the remaining batch.
5. 5. Preheat the oven to 150˚C/300°F/Gas Mark 2.
6. 6. Place the same pan back on a low heat, add the garlic and gently cook until just golden but not browned, scraping any meaty bits from the base of the pan. Season with dried oregano, chilli flakes, salt & pepper.
7. 7. Pour in the passata and red wine and stir through. Bring to a steady simmer and allow to cook for 5-6 minutes before adding the meatballs to the pan and gently turning to coat them in the sauce with a tablespoon. Cover the pan with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
8. 8. To make the garlic bread, crush the garlic with the sea salt, using the flat side of a knife to mash and smear it against the board until you have a smooth paste. Finely chop the parsley into it. Place it in a bowl and add the butter, parmesan, oregano and chilli flakes and mix all together until well blended.
9. 9. Cut the baguette into slices about 2 cm apart, taking care not to cut all the way through. Generously spread garlic butter between each slice, then wrap the baguette in foil ready for baking.
10. 10. Once the meatballs have baked, remove and turn up the oven to 220°C/450°F/Gas Mark 8. Add the garlic bread to bake for 15-20 minutes. Dot the meatballs with mozzarella, basil leaves and another sprinkling of chilli flakes if liked and return to the oven for about 10 minutes until melted and golden.
11. 11. Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling, salted water, according to the pack instructions, until al dente. Drain well and returning to the pan, stirring in a spoonful of the tomato sauce from the meatballs.
12. 12. Serve the baked meatballs with spaghetti and garlic bread.

• Recipes
• Autumn
• Winter
• Main Meals
• Family

Ingredients

• US
• METRIC