Simple, wholesome recipes that everyone in the family will love making and eating together
Mozzarella meatball subs
These meatballs make a winning alternative to a burger. Filled with mozzarella that melts as they cook and basted in a rich tomato sauce, stuff them in a baguette to eat.
SERVES 4 PREP 25 mins COOK 20 mins EASY ❄ meatballs in tomato sauce only
600g beef mince 45g fresh breadcrumbs ½ lemon, zested and juiced 1 egg, beaten 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed 1 rosemary sprig or 4 sage leaves, finely chopped 125g mozzarella ball, cut into 12 pieces
4 tbsp olive oil 400g can passata or chopped tomatoes 1 large baguette 40g parmesan, grated
1 Mix the beef mince with the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, egg, half the garlic, the fennel seeds, herbs, plenty of freshly ground black pepper and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl. Knead well to combine, then roll into 12 even balls (weighing about 60g each). Press your thumb deep into each ball to make a pocket, then fill each one with a piece of mozzarella. Seal by rolling the meatball into shape again.
2 Fry the meatballs over a medium-high heat in half the olive oil for 5-10 mins, turning regularly until well-browned with a good crust.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook the remaining garlic for 2 mins until fragrant. Tip in the passata or tomatoes, season well and cook for 10 mins until thickened.
3 Add the meatballs to the sauce and gently simmer for 3-5 mins, basting the meatballs with the sauce. Remove from the heat, then leave to one side to rest for 5 mins.
4 To serve, cut along the length of the baguette (but not all the way through), then open it up and scoop in the meatballs and sauce. Sprinkle over the parmesan, press the baguette shut and cut into four pieces to serve.
GOOD TO KNOW calcium • iron • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 932 kcals • fat 50g • saturates 19g • carbs 64g • sugars 7g • fibre 5g • protein 54g • salt 2.6g
Flamiche
Here’s a northern French dish that’s halfway between a pizza and a quiche. Crème fraîche mixed with cheese and eggs makes an excellent topping for the soft, buttery leeks.
SERVES 2-4 (4 as a light meal) PREP 30 mins plus 1 hr proving COOK 35 mins EASY V ❄
250g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting 5g fast-action dried yeast 2 tbsp olive oil, for the bowl 20g unsalted butter 500g leeks, the white and pale green part only, thinly sliced 2 eggs, beaten 150g crème fraîche or soured cream 80g comté, gruyère or cheddar (use cheddar for vegetarians), grated 1 large thyme or rosemary sprig, leaves picked ¼ nutme
