Recipe & photography by Angus Birditt.
Credit to Quadrille Books for sharing the recipe with us.
SERVES 3–4
Ingredients
MEATBALLS (MAKES 8–9)
500g minced beef
(If you can, look out for certifications like ‘Pasture for Life’ and or ‘Organic, which
supports farmers who work towards the highest food and farming standards, using
regenerative and organic farming methods, respectively.)
2 tsp dried oregano or chilli flakes (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil
250g artisan cheese, thinly sliced or grated
A small handful of fresh wild marjoram or oregano, finely sliced
TOMATO SAUCE
2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 x 400g tin of cherry tomatoes
300ml passata
1 tbsp dried oregano
A small handful of wild garlic, finely sliced
2 tsp caster sugar
sea salt and freshly
ground black pepper
500g Northern Pasta Rigatoni
Method
First make the tomato sauce. In a large saucepan, on a medium heat, fry the onions
in the olive oil for 5–7 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and stir-fry for a further
minute or two.
Now add the tinned tomatoes (I used a tin of cherry tomatoes as they have a sweet,
dense flavour), passata, oregano, wild garlic, sugar, two good pinches of sea salt
and a few turns of black pepper.
Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until the mixture
starts to thicken slightly, then reduce the heat to keep the sauce warm while you
make the meatballs.
Preheat the grill to 150°C/300°F.
Place the minced beef in a large bowl along with two good pinches of sea salt and a
few turns of black pepper and mix thoroughly with your hands.
(You may think I’ve used an excessive amount of salt, but the meat really does need
it!) If you want to, you could add some finely chopped wild garlic and dried oregano
to add flavour, or chilli flakes for a little heat. Break off pieces of the meatball mixture
and form them into 8–9 walnut-sized meatballs.
Pour the olive oil into an ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and gently fry the
meatballs until they are nicely browned on all sides. Remove the meatballs from the
pan and pour in the tomato sauce, then return the meatballs to the pan, nestling
them down on top of the sauce (like eggs in a nest), and top the meatballs with slices
of Witheridge.
Pop the frying pan under the grill for 10 minutes or longer until the cheese is gooey
and has melted over the meatballs and the tomato sauce is hot.
PASTA
Whilst the meatballs are under the grill or in the oven, pop on a new saucepan of
salted water and bring to the boil. Once boiling add your Northern Pasta Rigatoni in
(check cooking time on packet) and cook until al dente. Drain, serve, and spoon onto
the pasta the deliciousness that is the tomato and wild garlic meatballs mixture.
