Looking for cooking and baking together? Why not make some meat balls! Some delicious meat balls in a yummy sauce! We will be baking the balls instead of frying them. So it will be really good as the balls will not have any oil!

In the sauce, I will be using an aromatic bay leaf whose aroma will fill the whole kitchen. It’s watering my mouth! I am sure yours too! So what are we waiting for? Let’s start making!

I will be using beef to make my meat balls. You can also use mutton, pork, chicken, whatever you like!

INGREDIENTS FOR BALLS:

Ground beef                              Half kg or 1 lb

Bread crumbs                           Half cup

Milk                                             ¼ cup

Salt                                              ½ teaspoon

Worcestershire sauce              ½ teaspoon

Black pepper                             ¼ teaspoon

Small onion                                1, finely chopped (equals 1/4 cup)

Egg                                               1, well beaten

INGREDIENTS FOR SAUCE:

Onion                                             ¾ cup (chopped)

Garlic cloves                                 5 (peeled and crushed)

Olive oil                                         ¼ cup

Tomatoes                                      3 to 4 (peeled and finely chopped)

Salt                                                 As required

White sugar                                   1 teaspoon

Bay leaves                                     1

Black pepper                                ½ teaspoon

Tomato paste                              1 cup

METHOD FOR BAKING MEAT BALLS:

• To make meat balls first, pre-heat the oven at 400 F (for ten minutes)
• In a bowl, put ground meat, bread crumbs, milk, egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt, black pepper and onion. Mix well.
• A hard dough will get formed.
• Make medium sized balls about 1 to 1 ½ inches in diameter with this dough.
• Grease the baking tray with a little oil.
• Place the balls in the tray and bake for about 20 minutes.

METHOD FOR COOKING THE SAUCE:

• Let them get baked, let’s make our sauce till then.
• Put olive oil in a sauce pan. Add chopped onion. Let it become golden brown.
• Add crushed garlic cloves and cook for a minute.
• Add tomatoes and cook till they become tender.
• Finally add salt, sugar, bay leaf, pepper and tomato paste and cook for a while.

TIME TO PUT THEM TOGETHER!

• Take out the baked meat balls and add them to this hot sauce.
• They are ready to be served with boiled rice or spaghetti.

Tip: Make sure you add salt to taste and a few mint leaves while boiling rice or spaghetti for a better taste!

     If the dough you are making becomes much hard, do not panic, beat another egg and add a little quantity to the dough. Check it whether it is fine. If not, add some more egg. It will be fine then.

BENEFITS OF BAY LEAVES:

Since I have used a bay leaf in the sauce, I would like to discuss a few benefits.

• It’s an aromatic spice and adds flavor to the dish.
• It is rich in Vitamin A, Folic acid, Vitamin B and a source of minerals too!
• Use it, enjoy the flavor and the benefits too!