Baked meatballs in tomato-basil sauce

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 roll, stale
• 2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
• 250 g buffalo mozzarella, diced
• 500 g minced meat, mixed
• some sea salt and pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tsp, heaped mustard
• 1 egg(s), size M
• 1 package tomatoes, pureed
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 100 ml red wine, dry
• 1 shot of white wine vinegar
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 35 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 5 minutes

Soak the stale bread roll in water. Finely chop the onions, garlic, and basil. Cut the mozzarella into small cubes. Season the minced meat with salt, pepper, and mustard. Squeeze the soaked bread roll dry and add it to the minced meat along with the egg, half the onions, and half the garlic. Mix everything well and form into small balls. Place a cube of mozzarella in the center of each ball. Mix the passata with the tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the red wine, a dash of white wine vinegar, salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar, the chopped basil, the remaining onions, and the garlic. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and briefly fry the meatballs. Place the meatballs in a baking dish, pour the cold tomato sauce over them, and sprinkle with buffalo mozzarella cubes. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (convection oven) for 25 minutes. Serve with pasta, rice, or a slice of baked polenta.