Description
A comforting Italian dish featuring golden-browned meatballs, creamy orzo, and a vibrant roasted pepper sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 can (15 oz/400 g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 small jar (10 oz/280 g) roasted bell peppers, liquid drained
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1.1 pounds ground beef
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced or grated
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp ricotta or heavy cream
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 6 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 eggplant, diced
- 7 ounces orzo
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 5 ounces grated mozzarella
- Fresh thyme, for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a high-speed blender, add crushed tomatoes, broth, roasted peppers, and tomato paste. Blend until smooth.
- In a large bowl, mix breadcrumbs and milk, then set aside for 5 minutes.
- Diced eggplant, sliced shallot, and minced garlic should be prepared.
- Add beef, egg, garlic, ricotta, smoked paprika, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper to the breadcrumb mixture, mixing until combined.
- Roll the mixture into 2-tablespoon sized balls.
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees C/400 degrees F.
- In a large oven-proof skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Brown meatballs on all sides and remove them from the skillet.
- Add shallot and garlic to the same skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft.
- Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and diced eggplant, cooking for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the orzo and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the prepared sauce and season with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, basil, and chili flakes. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low heat for 8 minutes.
- Gently add the meatballs back to the sauce and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with mozzarella and fresh thyme, then bake until the cheese is melted and golden—about 10 minutes.
Notes
Allow meatballs to simmer gently for the flavors to meld. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 100mg