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Italian-style Mozzarella-stuffed Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Cook Time:

40 - 45 minutes

Serves:

4 - 5 people

Italian-style Mozzarella-stuffed Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

125 g Buffalo Mozzarella
600 g minced meat (I used Beef)
100 g gluten-free bread crumbs
2 large free range eggs
40 g parmesan
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4-5 sprigs fresh parsley
1/3 teaspoon powdered fenugreek
1 large carrot
A couple of twists of salt and pepper
I litre of passata (or 3 tins of chopped tomatoes finely chopped in a blender)
1 dessert spoon tomato puree
120 g chopped bacon
250 millilitres dry red wine
1 teaspoon and 2 dessert spoons vegetable oil

Begin by making the meatballs. In a large mixing bowl, add the minced meat, eggs gluten-free bread crumbs, the leaves from the fresh parsley, salt, pepper and powdered fenugreek. Mix roughly with your hands and set aside for a minute. Continue by placing a grater in a blender, top and tail the carrot then peel and use the blender to grate. Now grate the parmesan on top then add to the mince in the mixing bowl and use your hands to mix together. Drain the buffalo mozzarella and chop into small chunks then take a handful of mince (not too much as they should not be too large) then roll into a ball and flatten in your hand into an oval. Place a pinch of mozzarella in the middle then form the meat over the top of it so you have a meatball with the cheese in the centre. Repeat until you have used up all the mixture.

Now place one dessert spoon of oil in a non-stick pan. When hot, gently fry the meatballs in batches until they are sealed all around then place on a plate (you will need to add another dessert spoon of oil halfway through). Once they are all done, heat a teaspoon of oil in a large non-stick saucepan then stir fry the bacon pieces until golden brown. Add in the red wine and reduce while stirring to roughly half or a third, then add the tomato puree and finely chopped tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add in the meatballs one at a time so they don’t spray when dropped in and when all are in simmer for 30 minutes occasionally stirring the sauce and turning the meatballs. Serve with chickpea couscous.

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