Lamb Meatball, Red Pepper and Feta Rigatoni Bake

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This lamb meatball, red pepper and feta rigatoni bake recipe appeared in a 'it feta be good' feature of budget recipes using a pack of feta in this month's Sainsbury's magazine. As I post this recipe, it's not on the Sainsbury's recipe website.   

We both love lamb, feta, meatballs and pasta, so to have them altogether in one dish sounded very appealing!

The lamb meatballs are lovely and moist and combined with the full of flavour red pepper and tomato sauce, plus the nuggets of salty crumbled feta cheese, it's an absolutely delicious dish of pasta goodness - you won't be disappointed!

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How to make this Lamb Meatball, Red Pepper and Feta Rigatoni Bake

Ingredients

• 500g lamb mince – 10% fat (see Tips)
• 100g fresh white breadcrumbs
• a pinch of chilli flakes
• 1 medium egg yolk
• salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil, for frying

For the bake:

• 3 red peppers (or see Tips)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp mascarpone or double cream
• 300g rigatoni or any other dried pasta
• 200g feta cheese, crumbled
• a handful of basil leaves, to garnish

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl add the mince, 70g of the breadcrumbs, the chilli flakes, egg yolk and some salt. Squish everything together with your hands for 5 minutes, then form the mixture into 8 large meatballs.   Chill, covered, until needed.
2. Note: see Tips before following this step.   Preheat the grill to its highest setting.   Place the whole peppers on a kitchen foil lined baking tray and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning halfway, until well blackened.   Transfer to a bowl, cover and set aside until cool enough to handle.
3. Meanwhile, heat the 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large saucepan or casserole. Add the onion and fry over a medium low heat with a pinch of salt for 8 to 10 minutes or until softened and translucent.   Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute.   Stir through the tinned tomatoes and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.   Peel the charred skins off the peppers and discard the seeds.   Roughly chop the flesh, add to the sauce then blitz everything with a stick blender until smooth.   Add the mascarpone or cream and season, to taste.   Keep on a low heat.
4. Heat the 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large non stick frying pan over a medium high heat. Add the meatballs and fry for 5 minutes, turning regularly with tongs until evenly golden brown.   Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes, covered.
5. Preheat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 8. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions, then drain.   Toss the pasta with the sauce and meatballs and half of the feta.   Tip everything into a large ovenproof dish, scatter over the remaining feta and breadcrumbs.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, or until piping hot. Scatter over the basil leaves and serve with a salad on the side.

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Lamb Meatball, Red Pepper and Feta Rigatoni Bake

By: Deborah

Moist lamb meatballs with a red pepper and tomato sauce, with nuggets of feta cheese - yum

PREP: 20 minutes minutes

COOK: 45 minutes minutes

Cooling time (peppers): 10 minutes minutes

TOTAL: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Course: Main

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 4 people

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Equipment

• Baking tray
• Saucepan
• Stick blender
• Ovenproof dish

Ingredients

• 500 g (1.1 lb) lamb mince – 10% fat (see Notes)
• 100 g (3.5 oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
• a pinch of chilli flakes
• 1 medium egg yolk
• salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil for frying

For the bake:

• 3 red peppers (or see Notes)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (28 oz) x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp mascarpone or double cream
• 300 g (10.6 oz) rigatoni or any other dried pasta
• 200 g (7.1 oz) feta cheese crumbled
• a handful of basil leaves to garnish

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl add the mince, 70g of the breadcrumbs, the chilli flakes, egg yolk and some salt. Squish everything together with your hands for 5 minutes, then form the mixture into 8 large meatballs.   Chill, covered, until needed.
• Note: see Notes before following this step.   Preheat the grill to its highest setting.   Place the whole peppers on a kitchen foil lined baking tray and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning halfway, until well blackened.   Transfer to a bowl, cover and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Meanwhile, heat the 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large saucepan or casserole. Add the onion and fry over a medium low heat with a pinch of salt for 8 to 10 minutes or until softened and translucent.   Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute.   Stir through the tinned tomatoes and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.   Peel the charred skins off the peppers and discard the seeds.   Roughly chop the flesh, add to the sauce then blitz everything with a stick blender until smooth.   Add the mascarpone or cream and season, to taste.   Keep on a low heat.
• Heat the 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large non stick frying pan over a medium high heat. Add the meatballs and fry for 5 minutes, turning regularly with tongs until evenly golden brown.   Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes, covered.
• Preheat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 8. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions, then drain.   Toss the pasta with the sauce and meatballs and half of the feta.   Tip everything into a large ovenproof dish, scatter over the remaining feta and breadcrumbs.
• Bake for 15 minutes, or until piping hot. Scatter over the basil leaves and serve with a salad on the side.

Notes

• Make ahead – prepare up to the end of step 5 (without preheating the oven) up to 2 days ahead, cover and chill.  Bake for about 30 minutes from chilled, or until both the sauce and meatballs are piping hot.
• Substitute the lamb mince for pork or beef mince, if you prefer.
• Peppers – if you’re short on time, use 350g roasted red peppers from a jar in step 3, instead of charring your own.
• This lamb meatball, red pepper and feta rigatoni bake is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.

 

You might also like to try:

• lamb dishes
• Italian dishes

Nutrition

Calories: 1074kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 192mg | Sodium: 1139mg | Potassium: 1142mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 3444IU | Vitamin C: 135mg | Calcium: 423mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

KEYWORDS comfort food, lamb mince, meatballs, oven baked, pasta bake, winter warmer

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