Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs with Spaghetti

 My favourite European destination has to be Italy. You will be hard pressed to visit any other country which offers such a wonderful array of food and drink. In my experience all Italians are foodies, it is just engraved into their DNA. The simplicity of the fresh ingredients which combine to make delicious dishes combined with beautiful wines are hard to compete with. Don’t get me wrong I love Spain and France but Italy draws me back time and time again.

Now it is arguable that Spaghetti and Meatballs originates from Italy. From what I can tell this is rarely seen inside of Italy but it is a staple favourite found on many an Italian Restaurant menu. It certainly has influences of Italy and the simple combination of spaghetti with a rich tomato sauce topped with juicy meatballs certainly evokes a feeling of Italian heartiness so serve it topped with Parmesan and a large glass of Barolo and imagine you are eating in a patio café in a piazza in Milan.

In my humble opinion most dishes are improved with addition of melted cheese and this is no exception. These meatballs are stuffed with mozzarella which oozes out when you cut into them. This is a regular feature on our family dinner table as it is a hit with grown ups and kids alike.

Ingredients

1 red pepper

1 onion

1 ball mozzarella 

1 clove garlic

500g 5% beef mince

Salt & pepper

Olive oil

4 rashers of good quality smoked bacon

120g dried spaghetti

540g passata

400g chicken stock

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Parmesan for grating

Bunch of fresh basil

Method

Heat the grill on a high heat. Cut 1 red pepper in half lengthways and remove the stalk and seeds. Cut the onion in half (don’t peel it) and place both on a grill tray and grill for about 11 minutes, turning half way through, until slightly charred.

Crush the mozzarella in your hands and place in a bowl. Crush a clove of garlic and add to the bowl. Mix the mozzarella and garlic by hand. Set aside. 

In a large bowl add 500g mince and add a good grind of salt and pepper and mix well. Using your hands, squeeze and roll the meat to make it smooth. Split the meat into 8 equal pieces and mould into round balls. Flatten the balls using the heel of your hand. Take some of the mozzarella mixture, squash into a small round ball and place in the centre of the flattened mince. Repeat this with the other 7 meatballs. Roll the meat and mould it around the mozzarella, rolling the meatballs in your hand to create a rounded shape. Make sure all the cheese is sealed inside. 

Put a large wok on a medium heat. Chop the 4 smoked bacon slices into 1.5cm by 1.5cm pieces. Add a splash of oil to the pan and fry the bacon until browned. Roughly 8 minutes depending on how well done you like it. Once cooked, remove from the pan onto a plate and set aside.

While the bacon is cooking take the cooked pepper and onion and chop into chunks, discarding the onion skin. 

Put the pan back on the heat, add another splash of oil if the pan is dry, and add the chopped pepper and onion. Fry for about 3 minutes. Then add the bacon and cook for another couple of minutes.

Put a griddle pan on a medium heat and add a splash of oil. Once heated, add the meatballs and cook for about 12 minutes, turning every 2 or 3 minutes to make sure they brown evenly.

While the meatballs are browning, fill and boil the kettle. Put 120g spaghetti in a saucepan and cover with the boiling water. Cook for about 7 minutes so the spaghetti is still al dente. 

Meanwhile, add the passata and chicken stock to the wok and bring to a gentle simmer. Add 2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce. 

Once the meatballs and the spaghetti are cooked add them to the wok then simmer for a further 10 minutes, stirring regularly until the sauce is slightly thickened. Taste and season with salt and pepper as required. 

Transfer the pasta and sauce to 2 large bowls and top with 4 meatballs each. Grate some fresh parmesan over the top and garnish with basil.

February 2021