Baked Macaroni, Homemade Mini Meat Balls, Broccoli & Fontina

Name: Baked Macaroni, Homemade Mini Meat Balls, Broccoli & Fontina
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 pkg. (340 g) Catelli Smart Veggie™ Macaroni; 1/4 (60 mL) cup Olive oil; 3/4 (180 mL) cup shallots, peeled and sliced thinly; 2 (500 mL) cups whipping cream; 1/2 (3 mL) tsp nutmeg, grated; 2 (500 mL) cups fontina cheese, grated; 5 (1.25 L) cups broccoli, cut into small florets; 3 (45 mL) tbsp butter; 1 (250 mL) cup dried breadcrumbs; 8 (225g) oz ground pork; 8 (225g) oz ground beef; 1/2 (3 mL) tsp garlic powder; 1/2 (3 mL) tsp ground cumin; 1/2 (3 mL) tsp ground smoked paprika; 1/2 (3 mL) tsp ground black pepper; 1 (6 mL) tsp Salt

Key visual of a Catelli recipe, featuring a freshly prepared dish styled for serving and enjoyment.

Prep time

20 minutes

Cook time

10 minutes

Servings

4 servings

Ingredients

4 servings

1 pkg. (340 g) Catelli Smart Veggie™ Macaroni

1/4 (60 mL)Olive oil

3/4 (180 mL)shallots, peeled and sliced thinly

2 (500 mL)whipping cream

1/2 (3 mL)nutmeg, grated

2 (500 mL)fontina cheese, grated

5 (1.25 L)broccoli, cut into small florets

3 (45 mL)butter

1 (250 mL)dried breadcrumbs

8 (225g)ground pork

8 (225g)ground beef

1/2 (3 mL)garlic powder

1/2 (3 mL)ground cumin

1/2 (3 mL)ground smoked paprika

1/2 (3 mL)ground black pepper

1 (6 mL)Salt

Disclaimer

Individuals with allergies or specific dietary concerns should verify that the ingredients they utilize for the recipes comply with their restrictions.

Method

Step 1

Add 4 litres of water to a pot and 1 tbsp (15 mL) of salt to water. Bring to a boil.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Step 3

In a bowl, mix ground pork, ground beef, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper and salt. With wet hands, make small meatballs about 1/2 inch in size. Place meatballs on a lightly oiled cookie sheet and roast in the oven for 5-7 minutes until cooked through. Once cooked, set aside.

Step 4

While meatballs are roasting, start sauce. In a large pot or frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced shallots and cook until tender and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add whipping cream and nutmeg; bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes until cream starts to thicken. Add 375 mL of fontina cheese to cream and turn off heat.

Step 5

Cook macaroni according to package directions. When there is 1 minute of cooking time left, add broccoli florets to pasta. Drain macaroni and broccoli well and add to sauce. Mix well.

Step 6

Add cooked meatballs and stir well. Season pasta with salt and pepper.

Step 7

Add pasta to a casserole or ovenproof dish.

Step 8

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Once butter is melted, add breadcrumbs and stir well; cook for 30 seconds, stirring continuously. Remove from heat. Add buttery breadcrumbs into a bowl and add remaining fontina cheese. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 9

Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over top of pasta and place in preheated oven on a high oven shelf.

Step 10

Bake until pasta dish is hot and topping is golden brown, about 5-8 minutes.