Oven-baked meatballs

There’s an authentic Italian flavour to this mouth-watering dish and shaping the balls with your hands is fun – you might even be able to get the kids to help! 

Serves 4

Ready in about 1 hour 40 minutes

• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 500g extra-lean minced beef
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp sweetener
• 400g passata with basil
• 150ml hot vegetable stock
• 2 medium courgettes, trimmed and cut into chunks
• 1 medium aubergine, trimmed and cut into chunks

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.

Put half the chopped onions in a bowl with the beef, oregano, garlic and some seasoning, then mix well and divide into 20 portions. Roll each portion into a ball and chill until ready to use.

Mix together all the remaining ingredients except the pasta in a large roasting tin and season well. Cover the dish with foil and bake in the oven for 50 minutes. Stir in the meatballs and bake for a further 40 minutes.

Serve with your favourite pasta shapes.

 

Recipe taken from Slimming World’s Family Feasts on a Budget, available from all 10,000 Slimming World groups priced £4.95. To find your nearest Slimming World group visit: slimmingworld.com or call 0844 897 8000.