Thursday afternoons have turned into a masterclass of cooking and healthy eating and our children have been getting hands on in developing some exciting dishes for our school lunch menu. It has been a delight to see the children enjoying learning about vegetables, herbs and where our meat and produce come from. We have had tremendous fun and some fantastic results in our finished dishes; taste buds have definitely been pleasantly surprised at how healthy food can taste. Here is a copy of the meatball recipe for all you budding chefs to try at home. Hope you enjoy the fun as much as we did!
Italian Meatballs with Tomato & Basil sauce
1tsp Olive Oil
150g small diced Onion
150g small diced Butternut Squash
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1tsp mixed herbs
Black Pepper/a little lo salt
900g Lean Minced Beef
Gently fry all the above ingredients (except for the minced Beef) without browning, until soft. Allow to cool. Place in a bowl with the mince beef and mix thoroughly using washed hands. Form into approximately 18 balls. Cook in oven 180c for 12 minutes until thoroughly cooked and all juices run clear.
Tomato & Basil Sauce
1 tsp Olive Oil
100g small diced onion
100g small diced Butternut Squash
100g Small diced Celery
1 clove chopped Garlic
25g Vegetable Bouillon paste(Vegetable stock cube)
1/2tsp sugar
800g chopped tinned tomatoes
Bunch Fresh Basil
Black pepper/lo salt
Gently fry onion, butternut squash, celery and garlic until soft. Add tomatoes, vegetable bouillon (or Vegetable stock cube)) and sugar, gently simmer for approximately half hour until all ingredients are combined. At this point you can blend with a hand blender if you would like a smooth sauce. Add ripped basil leaves and season to taste. Serve with your favourite pasta, and indulge with a little garlic bread if you fancy! Enjoy.
