Weeknight
Melting meatballs with macaroni
A gem from BBC Good Food (October 2016) by @cassiecooks — soft, slow-simmered beef meatballs in a rich tomato sauce, tumbled through macaroni and finished with molten mozzarella. Only 20 minutes prep for a proper banger.
The 'melting' bit is real — the meatballs go so tender they almost collapse into the sauce. Stringy cheese, absolute comfort food. This is the dish my whole house comes running for.
Method
- 01
Soak the torn bread in the milk for 5 minutes until pulpy. In a bowl, combine the mince, soaked bread, grated onion, garlic, egg yolk, parmesan, parsley, a good pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined — don't overwork it.
- 02
Roll into walnut-sized meatballs (you should get around 20). Chill for 15 minutes while you start the sauce.
- 03
Heat the olive oil in a wide, deep pan. Brown the meatballs in batches on all sides — about 5 minutes per batch. Lift out and set aside.
- 04
In the same pan, soften the chopped onion for 6-8 minutes. Add the sliced garlic, oregano and chilli flakes and stir for a minute. Pour in the tomatoes, add the sugar and half a tin of water. Season.
- 05
Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover partially and simmer gently for 30-35 minutes, turning them once, until melt-in-the-mouth tender.
- 06
Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in well-salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving a mugful of pasta water.
- 07
Fold the macaroni through the sauce, loosening with pasta water if needed. Tear the mozzarella over the top, cover for 2 minutes off the heat until it melts, then finish with basil and extra parmesan.
Keep cooking
