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Pork and fennel baked meatballs
Serves: 8
Prep time: 1 hr 10 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Jonathan Gregson
Pork and fennel baked meatballs
These flavour-packed baked meatballs are spiked with fennel seeds and Parmesan cheese in a rich tomato and olive sauce. Serve with pasta or rice for the perfect comfort dinner
Serves: 8
Prep time: 1 hr 10 minsTotal time:
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
671Kcal
Fat
42gr
Saturates
16gr
Carbs
28gr
Sugars
13gr
Fibre
3gr
Protein
43gr
Salt
1.6gr
Angela Boggiano
Angela is a freelance food writer, stylist and recipe developer who has worked in the industry for over 20 years. Testament to her Italian roots, she is always planning one meal ahead and good food is at the forefront of her mind.
See more of Angela Boggiano’s recipes
Angela Boggiano
Angela is a freelance food writer, stylist and recipe developer who has worked in the industry for over 20 years. Testament to her Italian roots, she is always planning one meal ahead and good food is at the forefront of her mind.
See more of Angela Boggiano’s recipes
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp fennel seeds
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 4 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 1½ tbsp clear honey
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 100g sliced pitted black olives
- 2 x 500g packs pork mince (we used 20% fat)
- 150g fresh breadcrumbs*
- 80g Parmesan, finely grated
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 250g mozzarella, grated
Step by step
Get ahead
Prep up to the end of step 4 up to 24 hours ahead. Store the meatballs and sauce separately in the fridge, or freezer, ready to defrost and continue from step 5.
- Heat 1½ tablespoons of the olive oil in a saucepan, add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook gently for about 5 minutes or until starting to soften. Stir in the garlic, bay leaves and fennel seeds and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Scoop half of the onion mixture out of the pan and into a large bowl and set aside to cool.
- Add the tomato purée to the remaining onions in the saucepan, cook for 1 minute, then tip in the chopped tomatoes. Half-fill two of the tomato tins with water, swirl around and pour into the other tins. Swirl again and add the tomatoey liquid to the saucepan. Add the honey, red wine vinegar and olives, then season with a good pinch of salt and ground black pepper. Bubble for 30 minutes until you have a rich, thickened sauce.
- Meanwhile, add the pork mince to the cooled onions in the bowl, followed by the breadcrumbs, half of the Parmesan, the egg, oregano and some seasoning. Mix everything together well with your hands. Shape the mixture into about 40 meatballs.
-
Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and brown the meatballs on all sides in batches, adding more of the oil as needed. Divide the sauce between two large baking dishes (about 20 x 30cm) and add the meatballs on top. Scatter over the mozzarella and remaining Parmesan. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving one dish with pasta or rice. Leave the second dish to cool completely before re-covering with foil and chilling overnight.
*Use gluten-free breadcrumbs, if requiredSecond time around...Reheat the second dish of meatballs the next day, still covered with foil, for 25-30 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Load the saucy meatballs into soft sub rolls and serve with some extra cheese. Buon appetito!