FarmThru to Table: Meatballs

FarmThru to Table: Family Favourite Baked Meatballs
One dish and less than 20 minutes of actual work. These baked meatballs are a family favourite in our house: no frying and no standing over the stove, and only one tray to wash.
The secret is a good sauce. We use restaurant-made passata from McCarrs, poured straight into the baking dish. The meatballs go in raw and cook in the sauce, so they stay tender and the passata picks up all the flavour. That's the trick.

At a glance
Serves 8–10 (about 40 meatballs)
Hands-on time: Under 20 min
Oven time: About 35 min
Oven temp: 180°C

Ingredients
For the meatballs
• 1 kg pork mince
• 1 kg beef mince
• 1 brown onion, finely diced
• 2 celery sticks, finely diced
• A sprig of rosemary, finely chopped (or another herb from your garden)
• Olive oil, for sautéing
• 2 eggs
• A handful of breadcrumbs (optional)
• A good pinch of salt

For the sauce and topping
• 2 jars passata
• Parmesan, pecorino, cheddar, or whatever cheese you love, for grating

To serve
• Pasta (we used shells), or nothing at all

Method

1. Sauté the veg. Heat a splash of olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and rosemary and sauté until translucent, about 5–8 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
2. Mix the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine the pork and beef mince with a good pinch of salt. Tip in the sautéed veggies, add the eggs and the breadcrumbs if using. Mix with your hands until it's all combined.
3. Sauce the dish. Heat the oven to 180°C. Pour both jars of passata into a large baking dish and spread it out.
4. Roll straight into the sauce. Roll the mixture into balls a little bigger than a golf ball and set them straight into the passata.
5. Bake. Put the dish in the oven for 30 minutes.
6. Add the cheese. Grate over a generous layer of parmesan, pecorino, cheddar, or whatever you love. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes or so, until melted and golden.
7. Serve. Spoon over pasta, or just eat them as they are.

Tips and serving
• Use what's in the garden. Rosemary is our go-to, but thyme, oregano or parsley all work.
• Breadcrumbs are optional. Leave them out for a denser meatball, or for a gluten-free dish.
• Mix your cheeses. A blend of parmesan for saltiness and cheddar for melt is hard to beat.
• Kids' pick. Our kids love this with pasta shells, which catch the sauce. Finish each bowl with an extra grating of cheese and a crack of pepper.
Enjoy!