Meatball And Mozzarella Pan Bake. New Music From Andrew Bayer Ft. Alison May.

Waiter: Do you want a box for your leftovers?
Diner: No. But I’ll wrestle you for them.

So. Bad.

Meatball And Mozzarella Pan Bake.

So. Good.

This one pan rustic recipe is cozy and comforting. Lots and lots of cheese and delicious meatballs in a tomato-based sauce will make everyone at your table happy. And there will probably be no leftovers.

Meatball And Mozzarella Pan Bake

Ingredients:

2 small onions, minced
1/2 pound (250g) lean ground beef
1/2 pound (250g) lean ground pork
125g fresh breadcrumbs
1 Tbs fennel seeds, crushed
1 tsp dried oregano
1 egg
olive oil for frying
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes
600ml passata (You can use tomato purée or tomato sauce instead)
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
1/2 pound (250g) mozzarella, grated
125g cheddar, grated
100g mascarpone

Directions:

1. Put half the onion, all of the beef and pork, breadcrumbs, fennel seeds, oregano and egg in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix really well, then shape into 20 meatballs.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in an ovenproof pan and brown the meatballs in batches, adding more oil as needed. The meatballs should be almost cooked through. Once browned, remove meatballs from pan and transfer to a plate.

3. Add the rest of the onion to the pan with another tablespoon of olive oil. Cook gently until soft, then add the garlic. Cook for a few minutes more. Add the bay leaves, tomatoes, passata, brown sugar and red wine vinegar to the pan, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Return the meatballs to the pan.

4. Mix 200g of the grated mozzarella with the mascarpone and a sprinkling of salt. Spoon the cheesy mascarpone over the meatballs in dollops, and scatter over the remaining grated mozzarella and the cheddar.

5. Heat the oven to 190℃/375℉. Bake for 30 minutes until the meatballs are hot and cooked through, and the top is golden and bubbling.

6. Let the dish cool for 5 minutes, then add a drizzle of olive oil before spooning straight from the dish. Serve with crusty bread, pasta or rice.

Serves 6

Recipe slightly adapted from Olive Magazine