Meatball Marinara

• servings: 6 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 onion (£0.48/3)= (£0.16)

500 g (5% fat) lean pork mince (£2.19)

1 kg frozen vegetable medley (£0.79)

1 kg passata (£0.32x2)= (£0.64)

250 g grated mozzarella (£1.49)

Bunch of fresh basil (£0.48)

1 egg (£0.85)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp garlic granules

1½ tsp oregano

Red pepper flakes

200 ml chicken stock

Salt & Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 180°C*

Start by finely dicing the onion, so it’s ready to mix with the mince.

In a bowl, combine the mince, ½ tsp garlic granules, 1 tsp oregano, salt & pepper, an egg, the diced onion and a handful of cheese. Using your hands, mix everything until it’s combined and then roll the meatball mix into around 24 balls (4 per portion).

Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to a stainless steal frying pan (preferably not non-stick as you want some of the meat build up on the bottom for #flavour, google- “fond”)

Pour in your meatballs and ensure they aren’t touching. Leave to brown on each side, moving the meatballs every 3 minutes (about 4 turns) and then cover with a lid. They will be cooked after 15 minutes.

Once they are cooked, remove them from the pan and set aside. Using the same pan, use a spoon to unstick the bits of the fonde on the bottom of the pan before adding the passata.

Pour in the frozen veg along with 200ml stock and stir until it’s combined in the with the passata. Use ½ tsp garlic granules, ½ tbsp of oregano, pinch of red pepper flakes (optional) and salt & pepper to season the sauce and bring to a simmer and cook for around 10 minutes.

Once the veg is fully cooked, pour into a medium baking tray. Scatter the meatballs on top and then add the layer of mozzarella to finish. Pop in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until you get a lightly crisped cheesy layer.

Nutrition

• Calories: 394 kcal
• Total Fat: 19 g
• Total Carbohydrate: 21 g
• Protein: 33 g