Ricotta & Spinach "Meatballs"

• servings: Serves 4
• total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 500g ricotta cheese

• 3 eggs

• 80g fresh parmesan cheese, grated

• 1 ½ cups white breadcrumbs

• 1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• 1 jar basil pasta sauce or passata (if using sauce rather than passata, add a cup of water to thin it out)

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 170°C.

2. If you haven’t already, microwave the frozen spinach to defrost. Once cooked, drain off excess moisture if very watery.

3. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, eggs, grated parmesan, breadcrumbs, spinach, salt and pepper. Mix until just combined.

4. Shape the mixture into small meatballs, about 3-4cm in diameter. You should get around 25 meatballs.

5. Pour the jar of basil pasta sauce or passata into a baking dish, spreading it evenly across the bottom.

6. Place the meatballs on top of the passata in the baking dish, arranging them in a single layer.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden and cooked through. The sauce should be bubbly and slightly thickened.

8. Once baked, serve the meatballs directly from the dish, spooning some of the sauce over the top. You can serve them with crusty bread, pasta, rice or any preferred sides.

Notes

35g protein / serve