Ingredients
- onion 2 small, grated
- lean beef mince 250g
- lean pork mince 250g
- fresh breadcrumbs 125g
- fennel seeds 1 tbsp, crushed
- dried oregano 1 tsp
- egg 1
- olive oil for frying
- garlic 2 cloves, crushed
- bay leaves 3
- chopped tomatoes 400g tin
- passata 600ml
- tomato purée 2 tbsp
- brown sugar 1 tbsp
- red wine vinegar 1 tbsp
- mozzarella 250g (a large block), grated
- mascarpone 100g
Method
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Step 1
Put half the onion, all of the beef and pork mince, breadcrumbs, fennel seeds, oregano and egg in a bowl with plenty of seasoning. Mix everything with your hands really well, then shape into 20 meatballs. Heat 1 tbsp oil in an ovenproof frying pan and brown the meatballs in batches, adding more oil as you need – the meatballs should be almost cooked through. Once browned, scoop out of the pan and onto a plate.
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Step 2
Add the rest of the onion to the pan with another tbsp of olive oil. Fry gently until soft, then add the garlic, and fry for a couple of minutes more. Add the bay leaves, tomatoes, passata, purée, brown sugar and red wine vinegar to the frying pan, and bring to a simmer. Bubble for 20 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened, and the surface is glistening. Add back the meatballs.
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Step 3
Mix 200g of the grated mozzarella with the mascarpone and a little salt. Spoon the cheesy mascarpone over the meatballs in dollops, and scatter over the remaining grated mozzarella.
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Step 4
Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Bake for 30 minutes until the meatballs are piping hot and cooked through, and the top is golden and bubbling. 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.
Nutritional Information
- Kcals 698
- Fat 40.6g
- Saturates 20.2g
- Carbs 34.1g
- Fibre 4.7g
- Protein 46.6g
- Salt 1.3g
