Mini Meatball Pasta Bake Food

MEATBALL PASTA BAKE (PASTA AL FORNO)

Steps:

• Mix the grated onion, 1 crushed garlic clove, mince, breadcrumbs, milk, parmesan and parsley in a large bowl. Season well with salt and pepper. Mash the mixture together with your hands until combined. Mould the mix into small balls (about walnut-sized) with damp hands. There will be about 20 meatballs.
• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a deep frying pan and fry the meatballs for 6-8 mins until golden brown all over. Fry in batches if you need to - they don't need to be cooked through, just browned on the outside. Set aside on a plate.
• Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in the pan and fry the chopped onion for 5 mins until softened. Add the remaining garlic, fry for another minute, then add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 10 mins until thickened and the tomatoes have broken down. Season well with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta for 5 mins less than the pack instructions state, in boiling salted water. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Stir the meatballs into the tomato sauce, adding a splash of water if too thick, and bring to a simmer. Drain the pasta and tip into an ovenproof dish. Pour over the sauce and meatballs and mix well. Stir in most of the mozzarella, then scatter the remaining over the top. Bake for 15-20 mins until the cheese is golden and bubbling, and the top is slightly crisp.

MINI MEATBALL PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Mix the mince with the breadcrumbs, half the oregano, 4 tablespoons of cold water, a good pinch of salt and lots of pepper. Form into 16 small balls.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and fry the meatballs for 5 minutes, turning regularly.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion, mushrooms, peppers and courgette for 8-10 minutes, or until softened and beginning to brown, stirring regularly. Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds more, stirring constantly.
• Tip the tomatoes into the pan and stir in the tomato purée, stock, remaining oregano and the bay leaf. Add the meatballs and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and lots of pepper.
• Meanwhile, half-fill a large saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add the pasta to the water and return to the boil. Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally
• Preheat the grill to high. Drain the pasta and return to the pan. Add the tomato and meatball sauce and toss. Transfer to a warmed, 2-litre/3½-pint shallow ovenproof dish - a lasagne dish is ideal.
• Sprinkle the cheddar over the top and place under the hot grill for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese has melted, then serve.

MINI MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix really well.
• Roll meat into 1" balls- at this point, you can either continue or freeze them for later use, providing your beef wasn't pre-frozen.
• Arrange the meatballs on a rack over a foil-lined pan (for easy clean-up).
• Bake in a 400ºF oven for about 10 minutes, or until meatballs are browned- you can also freeze them at this point, or use them in other dishes (or just eat them plain).

MINI-MEATBALL CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In 12-inch skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
• Meanwhile, place colander or strainer over medium bowl; pour both cans of soup into colander. Reserve meatball and pasta mixture.
• Add soup liquid and green beans to skillet; cook over medium-high heat 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans are crisp-tender and liquid is reduced by half.
• In small bowl, beat whipping cream and flour with wire whisk until blended. Pour into skillet, stirring constantly, until well blended. Heat to boiling; boil 1 minute. Add meatball mixture to skillet; heat to boiling. Pour into ungreased 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish.
• In small bowl, mix bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons melted butter; sprinkle over meatball mixture.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and crumbs are golden brown.

BAKED ZITI WITH MINI MEATBALLS

Steps:

• .1. Cook ziti until al dente and then rinse to cool and set aside.
• 2. Mix ground meat, onion, bread crumbs, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 egg and 1/2 tsp basil. Form into small meatballs ( a little less than a walnut). Then cook the meatballs in the olive oil until the meatballs are browned and cooked through. Drain off the fat then set aside.
• 3. Mix the ricotta, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1/2 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp parsley, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/2 of mozzarella and 1 egg together. Set aside. Then mix the ricotta mixture with the ziti and set aside again.
• 4. Mix the jar of pasta sauce and the basil crushed tomatoes together then set aside.
• 5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• 6. Assemble: 1/3 of the sauce- followed by 1/2 of the ziti/ricotta/mozzarella-followed by the meatballs- then -- 1/3 sauce - followed by the rest of the ziti/ricotta/mozzarella mix- followed by the last 1/3 of the sauce followed by the rest of the mozzarella and sprinkled with the parmesan cheese.
• 7. Bake, loosely covered with foil for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes. Let sit at least 10 minutes before serving.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH MINI MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a straight-sided skillet over medium-high. Add meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 45 seconds. Add pureed tomatoes and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain pasta; return to pot and toss with sauce and cubed cheese.
• Transfer mixture to an 8-inch square baking dish; cover with parchment-lined foil. Bake until bubbling, 15 minutes. Uncover; top with sliced cheese. Adjust oven to broil; cook until cheese is melted and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes and serve.