I made this meatball pasta bake at home several times during lockdown. It was a great family recipe to rediscover. It has a nice Italian influence, but the key is good, quality-assured mince with the Bord Bia logo. The pork adds nice moisture and texture. You could use breadcrumbs instead of crackers. Use any pasta shells you like. Simply Better make a very good passata with tomatoes from Puglia. For mozzarella, there is the fabulous Toonsbridge Dairy in Macroom, which I have had the pleasure to visit. Not only can you find them online, but they now have a shop in South Great Georges Street in Dublin.
I made this meatball pasta bake at home several times during lockdown. It was a great family recipe to rediscover. It has a nice Italian influence, but the key is good, quality-assured mince with the Bord Bia logo. The pork adds nice moisture and texture.
You could use breadcrumbs instead of crackers. Use any pasta shells you like. Simply Better make a very good passata with tomatoes from Puglia. For mozzarella, there is the fabulous Toonsbridge Dairy in Macroom, which I have had the pleasure to visit. Not only can you find them online, but they now have a shop in South Great Georges Street in Dublin.
The creamy chicken korma was another favourite at home in lockdown. It became my most watched Facebook recipe, with over 200,000 views – which I am still amazed by. I use Thai Gold coconut milk at home and in the restaurant. It is excellent; rich and full fat. This is not a spicy recipe so if you like it hotter just add chilli to your taste.
Happy cooking
Neven
Meatball pasta bake with spinach and mozzarella. \ Photography: Claire-Jeanne Nash. Food styling: Janine Kennedy
Meatball pasta bake with spinach and mozzarella
Serves four to six
225g lean minced beef
225g minced pork
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
500ml passata (Italian sieved tomatoes)
2 tbsp tomato purée
small handful of fresh basil leaves, extra to garnish
350g penne pasta
knob of butter
225g baby spinach leaves
100g mozzarella, cut into cubes
25g freshly grated Parmesan
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
lightly dressed mixed salad, to serve
1 Place the minced beef and pork in a bowl with the crushed cream crackers, egg and parsley.2 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.3 Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat and sauté the onion and celery for about 5 minutes, until lightly golden. Add in the garlic and cook for one minute more, stirring.4 Add the passata and tomato purée and season to taste. Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes, until the sauce has nicely reduced and thickened. Stir in the basil leaves and remove from the heat.5 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6). Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.6 Plunge the penne into the boiling salted water and simmer for 6-8 minutes, until almost tender but not quite cooked through. Drain the penne well and return to the pan.7 Heat the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in a deep-sided frying pan over a medium heat and sauté the meatballs for 6-8 minutes, until almost cooked through and nicely browned.8 Heat the butter in a separate pan. Add one fistful of spinach at a time, adding another as one wilts down. Cook for one minute, then tip into a colander to drain. Season to taste.9 Stir the tomato sauce into the drained penne to coat and then transfer to a 30cm × 20cm (12in × 8in) 5cm (2in) deep ovenproof baking dish. Nestle in small mounds of spinach and arrange the meatballs on top. 10 Scatter over the mozzarella and Parmesan. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until bubbling.11 To serve, put the pasta bake straight on the table garnished with the basil leaves. Have a separate big bowl of salad and allow everyone to help themselves.Creamy chicken korma
Serves four
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp finely grated root ginger
1 tbsp mild curry spice seasoning
2 tsp Turmeric
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp mango chutney
400g can coconut milk
4 medium chicken fillets
400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp chopped coriander & Basil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
steamed basmati rice and naan bread to serve
1 Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat and fry the onions and garlic for 4-6 minutes, until golden brown. Stir in the ginger and sweet potato and cook for 1 minute, stirring.2 Add the mild curry spice and turmeric and cook for another minute, stirring. 3 Add the tomatoes, mango chutney and coconut milk. Stir well to combine, then bring to a fast simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce is so well reduced that it is almost sticking to the bottom of the pan, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cubed chicken.4 Slowly bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and completely tender. 5 Add in the rinsed chickpeas and lime juice and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. 6 Stir in the chopped basil and coriander. Season to taste.7 To serve, arrange the basmati rice and chicken korma on warmed plates and scatter over the coriander sprigs to garnish. Place the naan breads in a separate dish to pass around at the table along with the mango chutney.
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