Chicken Meatball and Pasta Bake

I love meatballs and tomato sauce. My children love my pasta bake so I decided to combine the two, using chicken mince for a variation. The recipe is made up of three parts: tomato sauce, meatballs and pasta bake. The tomato sauce takes some time to make, but it is delicious and worth the effort. Serves 4.

Tomato sauce

1 red onion, finely chopped
1T olive oil
375ml passata or tomato puree (make your own by cooking the tomatoes in olive oil and oregano, then puree and strain off the seeds)
2T balsamic vinegar
1t smoked paprika (optional)
1/2t cinnamon
1t dried oregano

Cook the onion on medium heat in the olive oil until soft and translucent. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer over a low heat for 20-25 minutes to infuse the flavours.

Meatballs

500g chicken mince or make your own by grinding boneless chicken meat in a processor
1 slice white bread
1 eggs
60ml milk
1t oregano
50ml chopped sun dried tomatoes
salt and pepper

Place all the ingredients in a food processor until mixed. Form into balls and fry in a little olive oil.

Pasta Bake

Preheat the oven to 180C.
Place 2 cups of cooked pasta in a baking dish. Place the meatballs on top. Pour over the tomato sauce. Place 100g sliced mozzarella  on top and bake for 20 minutes until the tomato sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted.

Serve with roasted vegetables such as carrots, courgettes and peppers.