Giant Stuffed Meatball with Tomato Sauce

65 mins

Giant Stuffed Meatball with Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

  • 150g 5% fat beef mince
  • salt and pepper
  • 50g mozzarella
  • 1½ tsp olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 1½ tsp tomato purée
  • 300g passata
  • 1 pinch mixed dried herbs
  • 10g parmesan or hard cheese, finely grated
  • 1 small bunch basil, chopped

Method

Season the mince with salt and pepper then roll into a ball before flattening out. Press the mozzarella into the middle then wrap the meat around to seal. Re-roll into a neat ball, put onto a plate and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat, add the meatball and fry for 3-4 minutes, turning regularly until browned all over. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a small ovenproof dish.

Add the garlic to the frying pan, fry gently for a minute then add the tomato purée. Fry for a minute then pour in the passata and dried herbs. Bring to a simmer, season with salt and pepper then remove from the heat and spoon over the meatball.

Bake the meatball for 25-30 minutes, basting occasionally with the sauce. Leave to cool slightly then scatter over the parmesan and basil to serve.