Description
A comforting Cherry Tomato & Meatball Ragu baked with a crispy baby potato crust. Tender baby potatoes form a golden crust base layered with juicy meatballs simmered in a rich cherry tomato sauce, topped with melted cheddar and parmesan, and finished with fresh basil for a flavorful and hearty meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Potato Crust
- ½ tbsp olive oil, plus extra for the dish and brushing
- 1kg Morrisons Market Street baby potatoes
Meatball Ragu
- 24 meatballs
- 1 small onion or shallot, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, grated
- 200g cherry tomatoes
- 1 garlic clove, crushed or finely grated
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 200ml passata
Topping
- 75g cheddar, grated
- 25g parmesan, grated
- A few basil leaves, to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and dish: Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Grease a 22cm pie dish with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Cook the potatoes: Boil the baby potatoes in salted water over high heat for 12-15 minutes until just tender. Drain thoroughly.
- Create the potato crust: Place the drained potatoes into the pie dish and roughly mash them with a potato masher to form a crust covering the base and sides. Brush with additional olive oil and bake for 10-15 minutes until starting to turn golden and crisp.
- Brown the meatballs: Heat ½ tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides until nicely seared, then transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon.
- Sauté vegetables: In the same pan, cook the finely chopped onion and grated carrot over low heat for 8-10 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add tomatoes and garlic: Stir in cherry tomatoes and crushed garlic, frying for 5-10 minutes until the tomatoes break down and become saucy.
- Build the ragu sauce: Mix in the tomato purée and passata, cooking for another 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly, then return the browned meatballs to coat evenly in the sauce.
- Assemble the pie: Pour the meatball and tomato sauce mixture over the baked potato crust in the pie dish, spreading evenly.
- Add cheese topping: Sprinkle grated cheddar and parmesan over the ragu to form a golden, melted crust.
- Bake to finish: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until the cheese topping is bubbly and golden.
- Garnish and serve: Scatter fresh basil leaves on top before serving to add a fresh aromatic touch.
Notes
- Use baby potatoes for the best crust texture; larger potatoes may not hold well.
- Carefully mash potatoes to create a sturdy crust but avoid over-mashing to retain some texture.
- Ensure meatballs are browned thoroughly to develop flavor before adding to sauce.
- The dish can be made ahead and reheated for convenience.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute meatballs with plant-based alternatives.
- Adjust baking time if using a different oven type or dish size.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: cherry tomato ragu, meatball bake, potato crust pie, Italian comfort food, baked meatballs, cheesy meatball dish
