Directions for: Pork Meatloaf Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
3 carrots
olive oil
100 g stale bread
500 g pork, minced
2 heaping teaspoons dried oregano
30 g feta cheese
1 large egg
3 fresh red chillies
1 onion
2 clove garlic
1 jar (700 mL) passata
30 g Cheddar cheese
480 g dried spaghetti
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6. Peel the carrots, quarter lengthways, then place in a roasting tray (roughly 25cmx 30cm), drizzle with oil and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, blitz the bread into breadcrumbs in a food processor, then use your hands to mix in a bowl with the pork, half the oregano, the crumbled feta (its a small amount, but it makes all the difference!), the egg and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Shape into a loaf (roughly 20cm long), then, when the times up on the carrots, make a space in the middle of the tray and add the meatloaf. Cook for a further 25 minutes, or until the meatloaf is golden and cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, halve the chillies lengthways and deseed, then put them into a medium pan on a low heat with a lug of oil for 2 minutes while you peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Scoop out and reserve the chillies, then put the onion and garlic into the pan with the remaining oregano and fry for about 10 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly. Pour in the passata, add a splash of water to the empty jar, swirl it around and pour into the pan, season to perfection, then simmer until the times up on the meatloaf.
4. Remove the tray from the oven and carefully pour the sauce around the meatloaf. Pull the carrots to the top of the sauce and arrange around the meatloaf with the chillies, then grate the Cheddar on top of it (I like to sprinkle over a few fresh woody herb leaves like rosemary at this point, if Ive got it). Pop the meatloaf back into the oven for a further 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden and delicious, and the sauce is bubbling. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions, then drain. Serve everything in the middle of the table with a salad, then slice up the meatloaf, mashing the chillies into the sauce for added heat, if you like.
5. Tip: The chillies add great depth to this sauce, but if your kids wont eat them, simply leave them out.
See more: Pork, Italian, Pasta, Cheese, Dinner