Pasta al Forno - a whole lot of meatballs!

 I am still on a meatball kick so when I spotted this baked recipe I thought I would give it a go.  I made a lot more meatballs because of the quantities of ground meat and Italian sausages I bought.  I probably would make them smaller because, although they tasted good, the meatballs might have absorbed more sauce if smaller.

The sauce was mostly fresh made.  I did used some canned sauce and tomato paste to increase the volume.  I just didn't have enough tomatoes.  Next time I will.   I added a jalapeno and a zucchini to the sauce to get some extra vegetable.  Maybe I should add more if I make this again  . . . A good tomato sauce is always useful with or without meatballs.

Before I assembled the parts in a dish, I did a little taste test . . . ummmm, spicy!

It is so good to have a good parmesan to grate for adding to the recipe . . .  in the meatballs, in the sauce, over the top . . . good stuff.

I had leftover meatballs after putting together the sauce, meatballs and pasta in the casserole.  Lots of meals from this one. (Recipe below)

Pasta al forno – baked pasta with meatballs and mozzarella

Serves 4, generously

40g soft breadcrumbs
20ml milk
1 egg, beaten
200g pork mince
1 pork sausage, meat squeezed from its casing – I used spicy Italian sausage.
60g parmesan, grated
Salt and pepper

Added chopped green onion and red chili flakes.  Try garlic next time.

1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
6 tbsp olive oil
500g peeled tomatoes, fresh or tinned, chopped
Red chilli flakes (optional)
Big handful basil, torn
1 tbsp tomato puree (optional)
250g mozzarella, drained and ripped

Added garlic, oregano, tomato sauce . . . jalapeno and zucchini to up the veg content

500g pasta (penne, mezze maniche, maccheroni, rigatoni)

 

First, prepare the meatballs. Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk and beaten egg for 10 minutes, then squash together with the mince, sausage meat, two tablespoons of parmesan (the rest is for later), and salt and pepper. Roll into small, walnut-sized meatballs and leave to rest.

Meanwhile, make the sauce in a deep frying pan for which you have a lid. Fry the diced onion in olive oil until soft, add the tomatoes, chilli, basil and a pinch of salt, then leave to simmer, mashing the tomatoes with the back of a spoon, for 10 minutes. Taste and add a squeeze of tomato puree, if you think it needs it. Add the meatballs, cover the pan and leave to cook for 10 minutes, shaking the pan every so often so the meatballs roll around and cook evenly.

Bring a large pan of water to a boil, add salt and, once it comes back to the boil, add the pasta and cook for four minutes less than the recommended cooking time. Drain immediately, then mix in a large bowl with the tomato sauce and meatballs and half the remaining parmesan. Tip into a large baking dish, poke the mozzarella into the gaps, scatter over the rest of the parmesan and bake at 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 for 20 minutes. Finish under the grill for crisp, golden edges.