Mozzarella meatballs with roasted pepper sauce

Time: 60-75 minutes
Serves: 3-4
Source: Adapted from Mince! by Mitzie Wilson

This is surprisingly delicious, the meatballs and sauce freeze well too.  The mozzarella will harden when the meatballs cool down and become less tasty.  Don't throw in whole orange segments, this will be extremely bitter, use juice only.

Meatballs:

• 500g minced beef 10% fat
• 50g breadcrumbs
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1 tsp dried parsley (or handful fresh chopped if you have it)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 75g mozzarella
• 3tbsp rapeseed oil (or olive)

Sauce:

• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 red peppers
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• Juice of 1 orange (no pith)
• 200 ml beef stock
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

To Serve:

• Any pasta, probably spaghetti
• Broccoli or side salad

1. Roast peppers ~20 minutes 200C until done,
2. Mix the minced beef with the breadcrumbs, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley and oregano
3. Shape into 9-10 balls
4. Cut the mozzarella into 9-10
5. Flatten each meatball and press a piece of mozarella into the centre. Gather the meat around it and pinch to make sure it is sealed
6. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry for around 10 minutes, turning occasionally
7. Remove meatballs and set aside
8. Fry the onion in the pan juices until softened
9. Add the peppers, tomato puree, orange juice, stock and vinegar
10. Bring to the boil, then using a hand blender, puree the sauce a little
11. Return the meatballs to the pan and simmer for 25 minutes until cooked through
12. Meanwhile, prepare pasta and salad