Melting-middle meatballs
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- Easy
- Serves 4
Ingredients
- 250g beef mince
- 250g pork mince
- 1 onion, grated
- 2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
- a handful of leaves flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 50g soft breadcrumbs
- 1 egg, beaten
- 200g mozzarella, cut into 1cm cubes
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- olive oil
- 2 x 400g tins tinned cherry tomatoes
- a pinch chilli flakes
- a small bunch basil, chopped
- to serve cooked rigatoni or short or pasta
Method
- STEP 1
Put both the mince, onion, fennel, parsley, breadcrumbs and egg into a large bowl. Season really well and mix well with clean hands. Divide into 30 rough meatballs.
- STEP 2
Poke a cube of mozzarella into the centre of each meatball and shape the mix around it so it’s completely buried. Leave them to sit while you make the sauce.
- STEP 3
Fry the garlic in 2 tbsp oil for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chilli flakes and simmer for 20 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Season.
- STEP 4
Heat another tbsp oil in a clean frying pan and fry the meatballs until they’re browned all over. Do this in batches and scoop out onto a plate when they’re brown.
- STEP 5
Stir the meatballs and basil into the sauce and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve with rigatoni.