Meatball Pasta Bake with Spinach and Mozzarella

Name: Meatball Pasta Bake with Spinach and Mozzarella
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 225 g (8 oz) lean minced beef; 225 g (8 oz) minced pork; 8 cream crackers, crushed into fine crumbs; 8 cream crackers, crushed into fine crumbs; 1 egg, lightly beaten; 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 2 tbsp olive oil, extra for drizzling; 1 onion, finely chopped; 1 celery stick, finely chopped; 1 large garlic clove, crushed; 500 ml (18 fl oz) passata (Italian sieved tomatoes); 500 ml (18 fl oz) passata (Italian sieved tomatoes); 2 tbsp tomato purée; small handful of fresh basil leaves, extra to garnish; 350 g (12 oz) penne pasta; knob of butter; 225 g (8 oz) baby spinach leaves; 100 g (4 oz) mozzarella, cut into cubes; 25 g (1 oz) freshly grated Parmesan; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; lightly dressed mixed salad, to serve

Preparation info

Serves
4–6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Nation's Favourite Food

By Neven Maguire

Published 2013

About

All children seem to just love meatballs, and this pasta bake tastes particularly delicious. It’s great if you want to feed a crowd, with nothing to do at the last minute except put together a quick salad. Just remember that if cooking from the fridge cold, give it an extra 10 minutes in the oven.

Ingredients

225 g (8 oz) lean minced beef
225 g (8

Europe
Ireland
Pasta

Method

Place the minced beef and pork in a bowl with the crushed cream crackers, egg and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and using your hands, give everything a good mix. Using slightly wetted hands, make about 20 even-sized balls. Arrange on a flat baking sheet, drizzle over a little olive oil to lightly coat and chill for 1 hour to firm up if time allows.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil