Meatballs & garlic bread & butter pudding
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook:
- Easy
- Serves 4
- 4 tbsp olive oilplus extra for drizzling
- 3 garlic clovescrushed
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- small handful basil leavesfinely chopped (reserve some whole to serve, if you like)
- 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 1 garlic baguette(around 210g), sliced
- 125g ball buffalo mozzerelladrained and torn into pieces
- green saladto serve
For the meatballs
- 50g dried breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp milk
- 500g beef mince
- 1 small onionfinely chopped
- 2 garlic clovescrushed
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp mixed herbs
- kcal775
- fat48g
- saturates20g
- carbs42g
- sugars12g
- fibre4g
- protein40g
- salt2.01g
Method
step 1
To make the tomato sauce, heat half the oil in a flameproof oven dish or ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat. Stir in the garlic and let it sizzle for 2 mins until fragrant, then mix in the oregano, sugar, basil and chopped tomatoes. Rinse out the cans with a splash of water each, then pour into the pan. Bring to a simmer, then leave to bubble away for 15-20 mins until thickened and reduced. Season to taste.
step 2
Meanwhile, for the meatballs, mix the breadcrumbs and milk together in a large bowl, and set aside for 5 mins to absorb. Mix in the beef mince, onion, garlic, egg, mixed herbs, ½ tsp salt and some pepper. Shape into 20 balls, around the size of golf balls.
step 3
Heat the remaining oil in a second frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and brown all over. Once browned, remove to a plate (they don’t need to be cooked through at this point).
step 4
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip half the tomato sauce into a baking dish, then add the garlic bread in layers with the meatballs. Drizzle over the remaining sauce with a spoon and dot over the mozzarella pieces. Drizzle over a little more olive oil and season with pepper. Bake for 20-25 mins until golden and bubbling. Scatter over some whole basil leaves, if you like, and serve with a big, green, sharply dressed salad.