I can’t quite believe how simple yet luscious this is. The beef balls are melt-in-the-mouth tender thanks in part to the red wine-soaked bread and the gentle cooking while almost completely submerged in the most voluptuously creamy sauce.
The coconut milk really does gussy up the whole creation.
Serves 4-5
Ingredients
Meatballs
3 slices thick white bread (toast slice)
½ cup red wine
600g quality beef mince
1Tbsp crushed garlic from a jar
1 Tbsp crushed ginger from a jar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ to ¼ tsp chilli powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
Sauce
1×400g can chopped tomatoes in puree
1×400ml can coconut milk
3 Tbsp tomato paste
Thyme sprigs to garnish
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Remove the crusts from the bread and discard. Cut or tear the bread into small pieces. Soak bread in wine for five minutes.
Combine bread and any leftover wine, mince, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, chilli powder and egg in a bowl. Mix well with your hands.
Roll into 24 golf-ball size balls. Set aside while you make the sauce.
In a microwave-proof bowl, combine the tomatoes, coconut milk, and tomato paste. Stir together until well blended and thoroughly mixed.
Lightly oil the base and sides of an 8-cup capacity oven-proof casserole dish (lid not needed). Mine is 18cm x 26cm × 5cm. Place the meatballs evenly over the base of the casserole dish. Set aside. Cover the bowl containing the sauce ingredients and heat in the microwave until gently simmering. Carefully spoon the hot sauce evenly over the meatballs and place in the preheated oven. No need to cover.
Cook for 25-35 minutes until the meatballs are beautifully tender and cooked through.
Sprinkle meatballs and sauce with chopped thyme.
Serve with mashed potatoes.
