Meatball and spinach ravioli bake recipe
A comforting and easy finner made with store-bought ravioli, meatballs and spinach covered in cheese.
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Ingredients
- 250 grams - 400 grams spinach and ricotta-filled ravioli shop-bought
- 150 grams net weight ball of buffalo mozzarella (fior di latte)
- Parmesan to grate over and serve – as much as you like
- 3 - 4 Tbsp olive oil to fry the meatballs
- Fresh basil leaves as garnish optional
Tomato sauce:
- 1 small red onion or half a large finely chopped
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 400gram tins of peeled tomatoes
- ¼ cup dry white wine or 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar and ¼ cup water
- 1 small stock cube crumbled (chicken or vegetable)
- a good pinch of dried chilli flakes or two
- 6-8 basil leaves chopped
- Splash or Worcestershire sauce optional
- Salt and pepper
Meatballs:
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 500 grams free-range lean beef mince
- 60 grams dried breadcrumbs
- 10 grams parsley finely chopped (about 2 ½ tablespoons after chopped)
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- salt & pepper a good few pinches
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
Instructions
- Heat a non-stick frying pan and add the olive oil.
- Fry the onions over low heat until softened. Add the garlic and briefly cook. Add the wine to deglaze the pan and then add the tomatoes, stock cube, chilli and basil and cook until the sauce has thickened. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick. I normally cook this for around 25 minutes and while the oven is heating up.
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 350 F
- While the sauce is on the go, mix all the meatball ingredients (mince, garlic, breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper and tomato paste) together - hands are best for this job, and roll into small to medium-sized meatballs.
- Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the meatballs until they turn brown on all sides. They may still be a bit raw in the middle but this is fine.
- Bring a large pot of salty water to the boil and cook the ravioli for 3 minutes until just below al dente. Drian and set aside.
- When all of the above are done, combine the meatballs and ravioli in the ovenproof skillet with the tomato sauce. Tear the ball of mozzarella into small shreds and scatter over the surface. Grate over some Parmesan cheese and bake for 20 minutes.
Notes
The tomato sauce and meatballs can be made in advance. Store in the freindge
Storage Instructions
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
- Freezer: Assemble the bake without baking and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake as instructed.
- Reheating: Add a splash of water or stock when reheating to maintain the saucy texture.