italian

Green Pesto Baked Meatballs

Every now and then I wonder if anyones noticed my meatball addiction. There are four stages of this process. 1) thinking of meatballs 2) thinking of new ways with meatball 3) wondering if anyones noticed my meatball addiction 4) thinking of meatballs. It’s actually pretty straight forward really. It’s a story I like to call: I Think About Meatballs Because I Need A Hobby That Doesn’t Involve Food. Whatdyathink?

Kitchen note: I acknowledge that this is a fairly odd combo but it somehow works perfectly. It’s pretty subtle but just adds an extra lil kick of basil Italiany goodness that lingers in your mouth afterward. Plus you get to use that annoying amount of pesto lying in your fridge wasting space.

Green Pesto Baked Meatballs

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Balls:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup of breadcrumbs
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan
  • 500g pork mince
  • 500g beef mince
  • 4tbs of green pesto
  • Generous amount of salt & pepper

Sauce:

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1L passata – tomato puree
  • Big pinch of white sugar

Method

Start with the sauce…
In a large pot saute your onion and garlic in some olive oil for 10-15 minutes over a low heat then add the passata, sugar and salt and pepper. Leave it to gently simmer away stirring every now and then.

Turn you oven on to 180 and put a big baking tray on your bench top (you’ll thank me later).

In a mixing bowl, squish all the meatball ingredients together until fully combined then roll into lil golf balls and pop on your baking tray (see what we did there? no hand washing required! You’re welcome).

Grab a big non stick pan and pour in a generous amount of olive oil and over a super high heat add the balls. Caramelise them off until golden and charred then pop back on the baking tray. Just worry about colouring them now, this process isn’t to cook them through.

Now head back to your sauce and have a taste. If it’s a bit meh add a touch more sugar and salt to enhance the tomato acidity. Once you’re happy with it, pour it into an oven proof dish and gentle plop the balls in, coating them all in the red deliciousness. If you want, top with cheese then bake for 30-40 minutes!

Kitchen notes...

I make all my balls with 50/50 pork and beef mince but if you’re not into one or the other, this will still be yummy with just the one. Chicken mince would also work.