From the OPR kitchen
Small beef meatballs and pasta beneath a melted mozzarella top.
An OPR editorial recipe for home cooking. The photograph is a serving illustration.
At home recipes
Meatball pasta bake
At home recipes · Family
Small beef meatballs and pasta beneath a melted mozzarella top.
25 min prep · 20 min cook · Serves 4 · Main
Recipe by Other People's Recipes · Published · Updated
The method
- 1Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Lightly grease a suitable ovenproof dish using a little of the listed fat.
- 2Mix mince, egg, breadcrumbs and seasoning. Form 20 small meatballs. Warm oil and brown them in a wide pan, turning.
- 3Add onion and soften for 5 minutes, then add passata and oregano. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes; check meatball centres reach 75°C for 30 seconds. Cook pasta separately and drain.
- 4Combine pasta and meatball sauce in the dish and add mozzarella.
- 5Transfer to the dish and bake for about 20 minutes, until the top is golden and the centre is piping hot.
- 6Check the thickest pieces of every meat or fish ingredient reach 75°C for at least 30 seconds with a clean food thermometer. Continue cooking if needed; time and colour alone are not reliable.
- 7Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Cook's notes & swaps
A little help from the OPR kitchen
These are optional pointers for making the recipe your own while keeping the spirit of the original.
Make it your own
Taste before serving and adjust the seasoning a little at a time. Check ingredient labels for allergens and dietary suitability.
A note from the OPR kitchen
An OPR editorial recipe for everyday home cooking. Timings are a guide and depend on your equipment; follow the method and check food is fully cooked. This recipe has not been independently kitchen-tested.
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