Meatball, pasta and vegetable casserole

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 stale roll
• 2 sprigs of marjoram
• 500 g minced meat, mixed
• 1 tsp mustard, medium or hot
• 1 m.-sized egg(s)
• some salt
• some black pepper, freshly ground
• 400 g bunched carrots
• 1 stalk(s) leek
• 300 g pasta, short, e.g. penne, spirelli or macaroni
• 1 onion(s)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp flour
• 400 ml milk
• 200 ml vegetable stock
• some white pepper, freshly ground
• some nutmeg, freshly grated
• some olive oil
• 100 g Gouda or Emmental cheese, freshly grated

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 10 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes

with béchamel sauce

Soak the bread roll in lukewarm water. Rinse the marjoram, shake dry, and finely chop the leaves. Squeeze the bread roll well and knead it in a bowl with the minced meat, marjoram, mustard, egg, a little salt, and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Then, with moistened hands, form it into small balls, cover, and refrigerate. Trim, peel, rinse, and thinly slice the carrots. Trim the leek, cut it lengthwise, rinse thoroughly, and cut into thin rings. Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling, lightly salted water until al dente. Shortly before the end of the cooking time (about 2 to 3 minutes), add the carrot slices and leek rings and cook. Then drain, refresh, and allow to drain. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas mark 2). Peel and finely dice the onion. Melt the butter in a saucepan and sauté the diced onion until translucent. Then add the flour and sauté for about 1 minute while stirring. While stirring, add the milk and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes while stirring. Season the béchamel sauce with a little salt, a few grinds of freshly ground white pepper, and some freshly grated nutmeg. In a baking dish greased with a little olive oil, spread the pasta and vegetable mixture along with the raw meatballs, pour the béchamel sauce over it, and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes.