PUTTANESCA MEATBALL BAKE

Puttanesca meatball bake image

This quick-to-prepare pasta bake with capers, chilli flakes, olives and courgettes is the ideal midweek meal. Tasty and filling, it'll satisfy the whole family

Provided by Lulu Grimes

Categories Dinner

Time 1h20m

Yield Serves 4-6

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
24 ready-made meatballs
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
pinch dried chilli flakes (optional)
2 anchovies, chopped (optional)
2 small courgettes (about 250g), coarsely grated
2 tbsp capers, rinsed, drained and roughly chopped
70g pitted black olives, halved
500ml passata
300g penne (or other pasta shapes)
2 tbsp grated parmesan

Steps:

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat the oil in a frying pan and gently fry the meatballs until they are browned all over, then tip them into a dish. Add the garlic and chilli, if using, to the leftover oil in the pan and cook it briefly along with the anchovies, if using. Fry until the anchovies almost melt, then add the courgettes and cook until any liquid they give off has evaporated. Stir in the capers, olives and passata and bring to a simmer. Add the meatballs and cook for 5 mins more, then season if needed.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions, drain well, then tip into an ovenproof baking dish about 25cm wide. Spoon over the meatball mixture, stir into the pasta and level the surface as much as possible. Sprinkle over the parmesan and bake for 30 mins, or until the top is browned a little and the sauce is bubbling. Rest for 5 mins before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 438 calories, Fat 17 grams fat, SaturatedFat 6 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 43 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 6 grams sugar, Fiber 5 grams fiber, Protein 25 grams protein, Sodium 1.3 milligram of sodium