Meatball Pasta Bake

Recipe tags

• Family Favourite
• Dinner
• Italian

Ingredients

• 350 g Beef Meatballs
• 400 g Penne Pasta
• 1 400g tin Chopped Tomatoes
• 250 g Passata
• 2 tsp Chopped Garlic
• 1 tsp Dried Italian Herbs
• 1 item Onion
• 1 tsp Chopped Chilli
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 1 item Mozzarella Ball
• 1 pinch Salt
• 1 pinch Pepper

Method

1. In an ovenproof dish that can be used on the hob, heat the olive oil and add the meatballs, salt and pepper. Brown for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, chop the onion and add to the dish along with the chopped garlic, fry for 5 minutes until softened.
3. Whilst the onion is softening, boil the penne pasta in a separate saucepan.
4. Add the tomatoes, passata, Italian seasoning, honey and chopped chillis to the meatballs and onions. Keep simmering on a low heat. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.
5. Once the penne is cooked, spoon into the meatballs and sauce and stir well to combine.
6. Slice the mozzarella and place on the top of the mixture. Add a sprinkling of pepper and bake in the oven for 25 minutes until the mozzarella is golden.

Notes

• A hearty, cheesy crowd-pleasing dinner that is easy to make, full of comfort and perfect for feeding everyone well.

Tips

• Delightful served with garlic bread or a green side salad.

Swaps and substitutes

• You can use a chopped fresh chilli if you don't have chopped chillis in a jar.
• You can omit the chilli altogether if you would like a milder version of the dish.

Equipment and cleaning

• A cast iron shallow casserole dish works well and can go straight from hob to oven. If you don't have one use a frying pan and transfer to an oven dish.

No-waste tips

• Use any leftover passata in another tomato based pasta dish. It should last a few days in the fridge.