Giant Meatballs Stuffed with Mozzarella
A little bit of effort and care needed with the balls.
For tomato-chilli sugo, mix all of the ingredients in a bowl, and process with a stick blender until forms a puree. Season well, and transfer to a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until sauce thickens (around 15 minutes).
Meanwhile heat half the oil in pan over medium-high heat, add onion and garlic, then saute until tender (5 minutes). Transfer to a bowl to cool completely, then add sausage meat, breadcrumbs, parmesan, egg, parsley and chilli. Mix well with you hands, then turnout onto a lightly floured surface. Pat down the mixture to a cake, and divide into eight equal parts. Pat each down to a 2cm thick oval.
Cut the mozzeralla into around 1cm chunks, and lightly dust with flour. Place around 4 chunks into the centre of one of the meatballs, and then bring the meat up around the sides to enclose the cheese. With wet hands form the balls into a uniform sphere, taking care to close over any folds or cracks. By feeling the cheese through the meat you will be able to tell it's in the centre. What you are aiming for is a "squash ball inside a cricket ball type dimension". Repeat with other balls.
Dust with flour and set on a baking paper lined tray. Refrigerate to rest for an hour.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Heat remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add meatballs and continually turn to brown and seal all over.
Place two meatballs at one end of each serving bowl, ladle tomato sauce over them liberally and then drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Scatter with extra parmesan and basil, then season to taste. Bake until bubbling and cooked through (about 20 minutes). Serve with your favourite pasta at the other end of the dish.
Serves 4 good eaters.
50 ml olive oil
½ onion very finely diced
1 garlic clove finely diced
1½ kg mixed gourmet sausages with meat squeezed out of skins (see note below)
60 gm white breadcrumbs
40 gm finely grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
2 eggs
½ cup coarsley chopped flat leaf parsley
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
2 balls buffalo mozzarella (about 200g each)
extra virgin olive oil to serve
rough chopped basil to serve
4 individual shallow ovenproof bowls for serving
INGREDIENTS:
“ONCE YOUR GUESTS CUT INTO THE MEATBALLS, THE MOZZARELLA OOZES DOWN INTO THE TOMATO SAUCE. PACKED WITH LOTS OF DIFFERENT FLAVOURS, IT'S ONE OF THOSE DISHES YOU'LL WANT TO PLAY AROUND WITH EACH TIME YOU COOK IT”
400 ml tomato passata
1 tub salt reduced tomato paste
400 g can of diced tomatoes
150 ml dry white wine
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 long red chillies finely chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
½ cup chopped basil
TOMATO CHILLI SUGO:
YOU NEED TO USE A MIXTURE OF GOURMET SAUSAGES. I USE THREE 500G PACKS. ONE OF CHICKEN, TYME & GARLIC, ONE PLAIN BEEF, AND ONE OF BEEF AND PORK TOGETHER. THERE ARE NO ISSUES WITH MIXING THESE TOGETHER, AND FEEL FREE TO MESS AROUND WITH OTHER FLAVOURS COMPLIMENTARY TO EACH OTHER AS WELL - THE KEY IS LOTS OF FLAVOURS WORKING TOGETHER. I MIGHT TRY LAMB AND ROSEMARY IN THE MIX NEXT TIME.