Pesto meatballs in tomato sauce

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 onion(s)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 small bunch of thyme or oregano
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 500 g tomatoes, pureed or chopped
• salt and pepper
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar
• some lemon juice or orange juice or lemon or orange zest, if desired.
• 500 g minced beef
• 2 tbsp pesto, green
• 1 m.-sized egg(s)
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp clarified butter
• 125g mozzarella
• 3 sprigs basil
• Pepper, coarsely ground

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

topped with mozzarella

Peel the onion and garlic clove. Finely dice the onion and finely chop the garlic clove. Rinse the thyme or oregano, shake dry, pluck the leaves from the stalks, and set some aside for garnishing. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the diced onion with the chopped garlic until translucent. Then add the pureed or chopped tomatoes and their juices, season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the thyme or oregano leaves, stir, and season the tomato sauce to taste with a little lemon or orange juice or lemon or orange zest, and add a little salt and pepper if desired. In a bowl, knead the minced meat with the pesto, egg, and breadcrumbs, then season with salt and pepper. Form the minced meat mixture into meatballs. Heat the clarified butter with 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide, non-stick pan and fry the meatballs for about 3 minutes on each side. Then remove them and drain on kitchen paper. Drain the mozzarella, pat dry, and slice them. Pour the tomato sauce into a baking dish, place the meatballs on top, top with the mozzarella slices, and broil in the preheated oven under the hot grill for about 5 minutes. Rinse the basil, shake dry, and pluck the leaves from the stems. Remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle the mozzarella meatballs with the remaining thyme or oregano leaves, grind some pepper over them, and garnish with the basil leaves. Serve with pasta or rice.