Pasta Essentials Pasta Meatball Cupcakes Recipes

PASTA ESSENTIALS: PASTA & MEATBALL CUPCAKES

Steps:

• PREP/PREPARE
• Chef's Note: Later on, in this recipe, I'm going to give you some recommendations for the meatballs, plus the alfredo and pasta sauce. You could always buy frozen meatballs, and jars of sauce... but where's the fun in that?
• Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
• Place a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 350f (175c).
• Add the alfredo sauce to the cooked pasta, and toss to combine.
• Use some oil, or cooking spray on the cupcake holders.
• Fill each of the cups with the pasta, and press down.
• Add the provolone to the top, and press down.
• Place in the preheated oven, and bake until the cheese melts, and begins to bubble, about 20 - 25 minutes.
• Chef's Note: Remove from oven, ladle some pasta sauce on a nice serving plate, and place the pasta cupcake on top of the sauce.
• Add a meatball, and sprinkle with Parmesan.
• PLATE/PRESENT
• Serve while nice and hot... possibly with some crusty bread. Enjoy.
• Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
• RECIPE RECOMMENDATIONS
• Creamy Alfredo Sauce: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/sauce-spread/other-sauce-spread/sauce-essentials-down-dirty-alfredo-sauce.html
• Yummy Meatballs: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/pork/delicious-beef-pork-meatballs.html?r=10
• Brilliant Pasta Sauce: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/sauce-spread/other-sauce-spread/italian-tomato-starter-sauce.html?r=7

MEATBALL PASTA BAKE (PASTA AL FORNO)

Steps:

• Mix the grated onion, 1 crushed garlic clove, mince, breadcrumbs, milk, parmesan and parsley in a large bowl. Season well with salt and pepper. Mash the mixture together with your hands until combined. Mould the mix into small balls (about walnut-sized) with damp hands. There will be about 20 meatballs.
• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a deep frying pan and fry the meatballs for 6-8 mins until golden brown all over. Fry in batches if you need to - they don't need to be cooked through, just browned on the outside. Set aside on a plate.
• Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in the pan and fry the chopped onion for 5 mins until softened. Add the remaining garlic, fry for another minute, then add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 10 mins until thickened and the tomatoes have broken down. Season well with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta for 5 mins less than the pack instructions state, in boiling salted water. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Stir the meatballs into the tomato sauce, adding a splash of water if too thick, and bring to a simmer. Drain the pasta and tip into an ovenproof dish. Pour over the sauce and meatballs and mix well. Stir in most of the mozzarella, then scatter the remaining over the top. Bake for 15-20 mins until the cheese is golden and bubbling, and the top is slightly crisp.

'MEAT'BALL PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat and fry the Tesco Plant Chef Meat-Free Balls for 10 mins until golden and crisp, turning often. Remove to a plate using a slotted spoon.
• Heat another 1 tbsp oil in the same pan and fry the onion for 6-8 mins until soft and translucent. Stir in half the garlic and the chilli flakes and fry for 2 mins more, then stir in the tomato purée and half the dried oregano. Cook for another minute until the purée darkens slightly, then add the vinegar, passata, sugar, basil stalks and some of the basil leaves. Pour in 200ml water and simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 mins until the sauce has thickened slightly.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water for 6-8 mins until just becoming tender, but still undercooked in the middle. Drain. Mix the sourdough breadcrumbs and the remaining garlic, oregano and oil together in a bowl and season. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
• Tip the cooked pasta, the 'meat'balls and olives (if using) into the pan with the sauce and gently stir to combine. Tip everything into a lasagne dish, then scatter over the garlic breadcrumbs and bake for 15-20 mins until the topping is golden and crisp and the pasta is al dente. Scatter with the remaining basil leaves and serve with a green salad on the side.

MEATBALL PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes less than the package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain pasta.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 13x9 inch baking dish.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook meatballs until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add marinara sauce and ricotta cheese; mix to combine. Add cooked pasta and mix to combine. Season with Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
• Cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a layer of sauce without meatballs. Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella cheese on top. Add another layer of sauce with meatballs on top and sprinkle with 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Add another layer of 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Add the rest of the sauce and meatball mixture on top, followed by remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Remove foil and bake until cheese starts to turn golden brown, 10 to 20 minutes. Enjoy!