Baked meatballs with goat’s cheese recipe

Ingredients

1. 500g good-quality beef mince
2. 75g fresh breadcrumbs
3. 3 garlic cloves, crushed
4. 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
5. 2 tbsps olive oil
6. 1 onion, finely chopped
7. 700g jar passata
8. A large glass of red wine
9. 100g goat’s cheese, cut into chunks
10. Some chopped fresh parsley
11. Cooked spaghetti or rice, to serve

Method

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan170°C/gas 5. In a bowl, mix beef mince with fresh breadcrumbs, 1 garlic clove and 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley. Season well and shape into balls.
2. 2. In a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and fry the meatballs for a couple of minutes, until browned all over. Transfer to a baking dish.
3. 3. In the frying pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and fry 1 onion and the 2 remaining garlic cloves for
4. 5 minutes, until beginning to soften. Add passata and a large glass of red wine. Season well and
5. pour over the meatballs.
6. 4. Sprinkle with goat’s cheese and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese
7. is golden and the sauce bubbling.
8. 5. Scatter with some chopped fresh parsley and serve with either cooked spaghetti or rice.

Nutritional info

Per serving: 509kcals, 24.7g fat (10.7g saturated), 37.6g protein, 28g carbs, 2.4g sugar, 1g salt

Chef's tip

Mix the meatball ingredients, leaving out the breadcrumbs. Fry the onion and remaining garlic first, then add the meatball mix and fry until browned. Add the passata and red wine and simmer for 30-40 minutes for a rich ragù. Serve with pasta and the goat’s cheese crumbled over.