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Recipe

Meatball Mac and Cheese

The ultimate comfort food and the perfect dish for getting ahead and reheating in the oven when needed. A delicious family meal that is equally indulgent for a special occasion. Want to save time? Use ready-prepared meatballs for a speedy option.

Serves: 6 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients: Meatballs

500g pork mince ½ tsp fennel seeds Pinch of smoked paprika Salt and black pepper Olive oil for drizzling

Tomato Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tbsp tomato puree 900ml passata 1 tsp caster sugar Salt and black pepper

Pasta

350g macaroni or other pasta shape 250g mozzarella cheese, grated

Nutrition per serving: 555kcal, fat 21g (of which saturates 9.1g), carbohydrates 53g (of which sugars 8.7g), protein 35g, fibre 3.9g

Method:

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6.

Place the pork mince in a bowl with the fennel seeds and paprika, and season with a little salt and pepper. Mix to combine then divide and shape the mixture into walnut-sized meatballs.

Place the meatballs on a greased baking tray and drizzle with a little olive oil. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until lightly golden. Turn halfway through cooking.

To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large shallow casserole dish and sauté the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato puree, passata, sugar and season with salt and black pepper. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pan of boiling water according to packet instructions, then drain, reserving some water. Tip the pasta into the tomato sauce with the meatballs. Add a little of the reserved water to thin the sauce if needed. Scatter over the cheese and place the casserole dish back in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling.