Let me just set the record straight, I can’t make food into a ball shape, I battle with this every time. My round looks more square or even I do manage to make I round, the roundness is never the same, one is bigger or smaller than the other one. I have no concept of uniformity.

I was reading the Good housekeeping recipe edition magazine, when I came across this recipe for double cheesy meatball bake and well, the picture in the magazine was so mouth watering I really just wanted to stop what I was doing and make a batch of meat balls.

With the help of the kitchen scale and an ice cream scoop I managed to make all my balls perfectly round and relatively speaking all the same size.

The recipe said a sprinkling of cheese, but come now, where do you hear a sprinkle, I love cheese and I used A LOT of cheese.

Ingredients:

• 8 x slices crustless day old bread, cubed.
• ½ x cup feta cheese, crumbed.
• 1/3 x cup fresh mint, finely chopped.
• 3 x cloves of garlic, grated.
• 1kg beef mince.
• Salt and pepper to season.
• 1 x onion, finely chopped
• 2 x cans diced tomatoes.
• 1 x cup chicken stock.
• 2 x tbsp. origanum.
• 2 x bay leaves.
• As much as you like, grated mozzarella cheese.

Method:

• Soak the bread cubes in water for about 30 minutes, remove the bread from the water and squeeze out all the excess water and place the bread in a bowl.
• To the bowl add the feta, mint, garlic, ½ x tsp salt and ½ x tsp black pepper.
• Add the mince and knead well till everything is well combined.
• Break off pieces of the mince mixture and roll to make balls.

• Heat some oil in a pan and gently fry the meat balls till golden brown, drain the meat balls on hand towel and set aside.
• Use the same pan the you used to fry the meatballs, add the onions and saute till transparent.
• Add the tomatoes, stock, origanum, bay leaf and ¼ x tsp salt, give it a good stir so that everything is nicely combined.
• Cook on a medium high heat until the mixture reduces by half.
• Add the meat balls and toss.
• Pour the mixture into a greased oven proof dish.
• Sprinkle the cheese over the top and pop into a preheated to bake at 180 degrees till the cheese is golden brown and nice and bubbly.