Italian Meatball Casserole
This is a quick and simple top-of-the-stove casserole. It is important to use really lean mince to make the meat balls. As shop-bought mince tends to be quite fatty, buy a piece of beef and have a butcher mince it, or mince it yourself at home. It is best to buy the minced meat on the day that you are going to use it -never refrigerate it for more than two days. This Italian-style dish goes well with either fresh bread, pasta, potatoes or rice, and a simple green salad.
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean minced beef
- 1 medium onion
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
SAUCE
- 12 oz large courgettes
- 1 large red pepper
- 4 oz large button mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
- 14 oz can tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
Instructions
- Peel and finely chop the onion, then combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large mixing bowl, adding 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Shape the meat mixture into 24 balls, pressing each one firmly to hold its shape, then put them to one side.
- Slice the courgettes. Halve and de-seed the red pepper and cut it into 1 in (25 mm) squares. Clean and slice the button mushrooms.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or in a flameproof casserole with a tightly fitting lid, and brown the meatballs evenly over a medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- Remove the meatballs from the pan and add the mushrooms to it, frying them quickly for 2 minutes. Return the meatballs to the pan and add the other vegetables, tomatoes and oregano. Gently bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Mix the arrowroot with 1 tablespoon of cold water until smooth, then stir it into the casserole and continue cooking over a moderate heat until the sauce has thickened. Serve immediately.
Calories: 302 kcal
Carbohydrates: 18 g
Protein: 28 g
Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Trans Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 70 mg
Sodium: 258 mg
Potassium: 1139 mg
Fiber: 4 g
Sugar: 10 g
Vitamin A: 1327 IU
Vitamin C: 66 mg
Calcium: 80 mg
Iron: 5 mg