Three-cheese Mac’n’pork Meatballs

Two classics marry in one totally delicious bowl of comfort food. Baked to a golden goodness with molten cheese on top, this was a team favourite on our photo shoot day.

MEATBALLS

1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs

150 grams ricotta or cottage cheese

½ cup freshly grated parmesan

2 tablespoons milk or water

1 large egg

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon sea salt

finely grated zest 1 lemon

500 grams pork mince

olive oil, for browning

TO COOK

1 tablespoon each olive oil and butter

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 leek, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

¼-½ teaspoon chilli flakes

sea salt and ground pepper

50 grams butter

¼ cup plain flour

3 cups whole milk

½ cup cream

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

100 grams cheddar, grated, plus 30 grams extra for topping

60 grams gruyère, grated, plus 30 grams extra for topping

½ cup freshly grated parmesan, plus ½ cup extra for topping

500 grams macaroni or other small tube pasta

EQUIPMENT:

6-cup capacity ovenproof baking dish.

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.

MEATBALLS:

Combine all the ingredients except the pork and oil in a large bowl and leave for 15 minutes. Add the pork and mix until fully combined. Hands are good for this. Form into about 24 large walnut-sized meatballs. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan and, when hot, quickly brown the meatballs. They won’t be fully cooked. Set aside. The meatballs can be browned several hours ahead of assembling.

TO COOK:

Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan and cook the onion, leek, garlic, fennel seeds and chilli flakes with a good pinch of salt for 10 minutes or until very tender. Set aside. Melt the 50 grams butter in a large saucepan and whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook over a low heat for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in the combined milk and cream, whisking continuously until smooth. Stir in the mustard and nutmeg and season well. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat and stir in the three cheeses until melted and smooth. Stir in threequarters of the leek mixture and set the rest aside.

Cook the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package instructions, then drain well. Combine the pasta with the sauce and tip into the baking dish. Nestle in the meatballs, then dot over the remaining leek mixture. Scatter over the combined leftover three cheeses and bake for 25 minutes, until golden and bubbling around the edges. SERVES 6