Greek -style baked meatballs with cannellini beans

serves 4

This is something that I would make on say a Sunday night in the cooler months. It can be prepped in advance and finished in the oven as required.

Tomato sauce:

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, finely diced

olive oil

2 x 400g tins whole peeled tomatoes, hand crushed

1 tspn dried wild oregano, if available (otherwise substitute with normal dried oregano)

1 tspn thyme

1 cup dry white wine

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper

1 x 400g tins cannellini beans

350 g feta, crumbed

Saute the onion and garlic in a little olive oil until cooked. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the oregano, thyme, wine and bay leaves and cook to reduce by about 50 percent, stiring regularly- it needs to be thickened but not wet. Season to taste, remove from the heat, remove the bay leaves and set aside until required.

Meat balls:

500g lean lamb mince

2/3 cup breadcrumbs

6 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped

1 tspn fresh thyme, chopped

2 tlbspn mint, chopped

2 tlbspn basil, chopped

2 fresh chillies, deseeded and finly diced (optional)

flour for rolling

oil for frying

Put all ingredients into a bowl and using your hands mix to combine. Shape into 24 small balls. Lightly roll in flour. Heat a little oil in a pan and lightly brown the balls. Set aside.

To serve, drain the cannellini beans. Fold the beans through the tomato sauce. Pour this mixture into a ovenproof dish, place the lamb balls evenly on top and press down gently. Sprinkle over the feta. Cook in a 180 0c preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the feta is golden.

Note. Dried herbs can be substituted.