Francesco Mazzei’s Burrata Filled Welsh Lamb Meatballs with Tomato Sauce and Basil Pesto

Francesco Mazzei’s Burrata Filled Welsh Lamb Meatballs with Tomato Sauce and Basil Pesto takes 40 mins to prep and an hour to cook. An absolute taste sensation, the meatballs are filled with cheese, cooked in a simple tomato sauce and then topped with a stunning home made pesto. This will become a firm family fave!

Ingredients

500g PGI Welsh Lamb mince
30g parsley
80g Grana Padano cheese
80g Pecorino cheese
250g Burrata cheese
250g sourdough bread
300ml milk
2 eggs
Black pepper
Salt

For the tomato sauce

1 large white onion
1 garlic clove
1kg tomato passata
10 basil leaves
Salt

For the pesto

300g basil leaves
80ml extra virgin olive oil
20g Pecorino cheese
20g Grana Padano cheese
½ a garlic clove
20g pine nuts
Salt

Method

Print Recipe

To make the tomato sauce, chop the onion and garlic and sweat them in a saucepan with some extra virgin olive oil before adding the passata. Season with salt and pepper and add the basil leaves. Simmer for about 1 hour, adding some water if it gets too dry.
While that’s simmering, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large roasting Season the lamb shoulder with salt and pepper and fry it in the oil over a high heat, until nicely seared all over.
Cut the bread into small pieces and soak in the milk until all of it has been absorbed, then squeeze out any excess liquid by hand.
Put the meat in a bowl, add the bread and mix thoroughly. At this point add the Grana Padano, Pecorino, chopped parsley and eggs. Mix well and adjust with salt and pepper.
Shape the mixture into balls. Making a small well in the centre of each one, add in a teaspoonful of Burrata cheese and close them up again, being careful they are well sealed so the Burrata won’t leak out.
To make the pesto, quickly blanch the basil leaves in boiling water and cool them down to halt the cooking in iced water. Drain and transfer into a blender. Add all the pesto other ingredients and blitz until everything is well combined. Adjust with salt.
Add the meatballs into the tomato sauce and let them cook thoroughly. Transfer into a serving dish and finish with generous dollops of pesto.

Ingredients

500g PGI Welsh Lamb mince
30g parsley
80g Grana Padano cheese
80g Pecorino cheese
250g Burrata cheese
250g sourdough bread
300ml milk
2 eggs
Black pepper
Salt

For the tomato sauce

1 large white onion
1 garlic clove
1kg tomato passata
10 basil leaves
Salt

For the pesto

300g basil leaves
80ml extra virgin olive oil
20g Pecorino cheese
20g Grana Padano cheese
½ a garlic clove
20g pine nuts
Salt

Method

To make the tomato sauce, chop the onion and garlic and sweat them in a saucepan with some extra virgin olive oil before adding the passata. Season with salt and pepper and add the basil leaves. Simmer for about 1 hour, adding some water if it gets too dry.
While that’s simmering, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large roasting Season the lamb shoulder with salt and pepper and fry it in the oil over a high heat, until nicely seared all over.
Cut the bread into small pieces and soak in the milk until all of it has been absorbed, then squeeze out any excess liquid by hand.
Put the meat in a bowl, add the bread and mix thoroughly. At this point add the Grana Padano, Pecorino, chopped parsley and eggs. Mix well and adjust with salt and pepper.
Shape the mixture into balls. Making a small well in the centre of each one, add in a teaspoonful of Burrata cheese and close them up again, being careful they are well sealed so the Burrata won’t leak out.
To make the pesto, quickly blanch the basil leaves in boiling water and cool them down to halt the cooking in iced water. Drain and transfer into a blender. Add all the pesto other ingredients and blitz until everything is well combined. Adjust with salt.
Add the meatballs into the tomato sauce and let them cook thoroughly. Transfer into a serving dish and finish with generous dollops of pesto.