Sarah Pound’s MO is kid- and adult-friendly meals that are fresh, wholesome and – crucially – tasty. The Melbourne-based nutritionist and recipe writer has developed a 700,000-strong following on Instagram for recipes that pack in the good stuff without expensive ingredients that break budgets, or tricksy techniques that break spirits. It’s an ethos she has brought to her just-released debut cookbook, Wholesome by Sarah, a compendium of simple and nourishing recipes spanning salads, soups, one-pot meals and more. These recipes make the most of kitchen staples such as tinned tuna and pasta to keep things easy and relatable.
This recipe is no different – it harnesses the power of cheap and ubiquitous ingredients like mince and pasta, and jazzes them up with plenty of cheese, herbs and a tomato base. Very little washing up is required, and, if you don’t have a family of six, you can look forward to plenty of leftovers tomorrow.
Sarah Pound’s meatball, risoni and mozzarella bake
Serves 6
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 short cut bacon rashers, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
400g (2 cups) risoni (orzo) pasta
400g can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
250ml (1 cup) red wine (such as pinot noir, shiraz, cabernet sauvignon)
750ml (3 cups) chicken or beef stock
1 fresh buffalo mozzarella ball, sliced, or 125g freshly grated mozzarella
Meatballs
500g beef mince
1 small onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, grated
45g (¾ cup) panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus extra to serve
2 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
80g feta, crumbled
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan-forced).
Place all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until well combined. Using an ice-cream scoop or your hands, shape the mixture into 24 meatballs. Set them aside.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large, flameproof casserole dish over medium heat. Add the meatballs and, turning gently to ensure even browning, cook them on all sides until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
To make the risoni, heat the remaining olive oil in the same dish, add the onion, bacon and garlic and saute for 2 minutes, until the onion is translucent and the bacon is cooked. Add the risoni and cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until it starts to toast slightly. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine and stock, and bring to the boil.
Return the meatballs to the dish. Nestle them into the risoni mixture, then transfer to the oven to bake for 15–20 minutes. Remove from the oven, scatter the mozzarella evenly over the top, then bake for a further 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Allow to rest for 5 minutes, before serving with the extra parsley sprinkled on top.
Wholesome by Sarah by Sarah Pound, published by Plum, RRP $44.99, photography by Mark Roper.
