Sicilian Meatballs Al Forno

Name: Sicilian Meatballs Al Forno
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 50 g raisins; 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar; 500 g lamb neck fillet and/or offcuts; 50 g sun-dried tomatoes; ½ a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley; 100 g fresh breadcrumbs; 50 g pine nuts; 1 lemon; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 50 g Parmesan cheese; olive oil; 120 g buffalo mozzarella; 500 g dried spaghetti; extra virgin olive oil; 1 small red onion; 2 cloves of garlic; 2 quality anchovy fillets; 1 fresh red chilli; 1 small dried chilli; 2 x 400 g tins of quality plum tomatoes; 1 pinch of ground cinnamon; red wine vinegar; 1 teaspoon sugar optional; ½ a bunch of fresh basil

Oven-baked lamb meatballs in arrabbiata sauce

“Making meatballs from scratch is a great way of using under-loved, cheap cuts of meat, plus you know exactly what’s gone into them. I’ve kept the pasta simple to let those Sicilian flavours really sing. ”

Serves 6

Cooks In1 hour 10 minutes

DifficultyNot too tricky

Jamie Magazine Dinner Party Italian Mains Pasta & risotto Meatball

Nutrition per serving

Calories 841 42%
Fat 33.3g 48%
Saturates 9.8g 49%
Sugars 16g 18%
Protein 41.5g 83%
Carbs 89.7g 35%

Of an adult's reference intake

Jamie Magazine

By Jamie Oliver

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Ingredients

50 g raisins
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
500 g lamb neck fillet and/or offcuts
50 g sun-dried tomatoes
½ a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
100 g fresh breadcrumbs
50 g pine nuts
1 lemon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
50 g Parmesan cheese
olive oil
120 g buffalo mozzarella
500 g dried spaghetti
extra virgin olive oil
ARRABBIATA SAUCE
1 small red onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 quality anchovy fillets
1 fresh red chilli
1 small dried chilli
2 x 400 g tins of quality plum tomatoes
1 pinch of ground cinnamon
red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar , optional
½ a bunch of fresh basil

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Jamie Magazine

By Jamie Oliver

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Method

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.
Soak the raisins in the balsamic vinegar for 5 minutes.
Mince the lamb in a food processor, then place into a large bowl. Roughly chop and add the sun-dried tomatoes, then pick, finely chop and add most of the parsley leaves.
Add the breadcrumbs, pine nuts, lemon zest, soaked raisins and their juice, and oregano. Finely grate in half the Parmesan. Season, then mix together well.
With wet hands, roll and pat the mixture into 24 meatballs (the size of golf balls).
Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan over a high heat, then fry the meatballs for about 5 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Set aside.
For the arrabbiata sauce, peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Chop the anchovies, then deseed and finely chop the fresh chilli.
Heat a good lug of olive oil in a pan on a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, anchovies and chopped chilli. Crumble in the dried chilli, and gently fry for a few minutes, until soft.
Add the plum tomatoes and cinnamon, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon, then simmer for about 20 minutes, or until reduced, stirring every so often.
Pour in a splash of red wine vinegar, season well, add the sugar if you think it tastes too sharp, and tear in most of the basil leaves.
Spoon the sauce into an ovenproof dish (25cm x 30cm), then dot the meatballs on top. Tear over the mozzarella, sprinkle over the remaining basil leaves and finely grate the rest of the Parmesan on top.
Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions, then drain and toss with some extra virgin olive oil and the rest of the parsley. Serve the meatballs with the pasta – perfect with a nice crisp salad.