1heaped tbsp of tomato pureecheck for gluten-free if required
1tspdried oregano
1tbspsugar
pinchof salt and pepper
140g(5oz) mozzarella, roughly torn I used reduced-fat
75g(2.5oz) cheddar, grated/shreddedI used reduced-fat
Also:
450g(15.8 oz) dry weight - of spaghetti (75g per person)
3tbspgrated parmesan and a bit of parsley or basil to serve
Instructions
Preheat the over to 200C/400F (fan).
Mix all of the meatball ingredients in a bowl with your hands. Squash it all together but don’t overmix as this will make the meatballs tough. Shape the meatballs into little balls – the size of a golf ball – and place them on a baking tray.
1 tbsp olive oil, 250 g (8.8 oz) pork mince, 500 g (17.5 oz) lean minced beef/ground beef, 1 small grated courgette/zucchini, 4 mushrooms, 4 tbsp freshly grated parmesan, 1 small onion, 1 tbsp chopped parsley, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, ¼ tsp of salt and pepper
Put in the oven for about 20-25 mins. Keep an eye on them toward the end of the cooking time and turn the oven down a little if they start going too dark. They will seep a little in the oven due to the moisture in the courgette (but they’ll still taste great).
Whilst the meatballs are cooking, make the sauce. Fry the onions in the olive oil on a low heat for about 5 mins. Add the garlic, and red pepper and cook for another couple of mins.
1 tbsp olive oil, 1 large onion, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 red pepper
Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano, sugar, and salt and pepper to the sauce and let it bubble until the meatballs are ready, then take the cooked meatballs out of the oven and add them to the tomato sauce (leave the oven on). Sprinkle the mozzarella and cheddar on top and place back in the oven for 15-20 mins until the cheese is melted and golden (you can put your spaghetti on to cook at this point).
800 g (28 oz) tinned chopped tomatoes, 1 heaped tbsp of tomato puree, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp sugar, pinch of salt and pepper, 140 g (5oz) mozzarella, roughly torn, 75 g (2.5oz) cheddar, grated/shredded
Drain the spaghetti and serve with the pan of meatballs (I usually serve 4 meatballs per adult and 2-3 for children) and garnish with some grated parmesan and parsley or basil.
450 g (15.8 oz) dry weight - of spaghetti (75g per person), 3 tbsp grated parmesan and a bit of parsley or basil to serve
Notes
Any leftover meatballs and sauce should be cooled and then frozen (you can freeze the meatballs and sauce together). To reheat, simply defrost thoroughly and heat through in a pan for about 15 minutes until the meatballs are hot all the way through.Nutritional info is per serving (serves 6), including spaghetti