Layered Rice with Meatballs in Homemade Tomato Sauce


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Nigella is the chef, we are cooking from, this month at Photobucket and I realized, I have only made a few dishes from one of my favorite chefs.  I, particularly love her cookbooks which are personalized and filled with hints and tips for better cooking.  

If you are interested in joining in the fun and to cook like a star go on over and learn all about it.  If you have cooked something from Nigella and would like to link it up, go here.

I have also linked this to  photo 77951578-1914-4b72-8eda-9e40a91183ac_zps331eb4b4.jpg which you will find at my buddy Joyce's Kitchen Flavours.  You can link up at recipe from a cookbook or magazine so go join in the fun.

This recipe, found here, was made with pasta but I was looking for meatballs to go with rice which is what I did.  I made several necessary changes to the recipe so check it out, if you would like to make it.

Ingredients:


For the meatballs:

1 pound of chopped beef. I would have preferred half turkey - half beef but had no turkey.
1 egg
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
3 tablespoons tortilla chip crumbs
black pepper to taste

For the tomato sauce:
5 tomatoes (filled with flavor - these are from my garden) 
1 onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
black pepper to taste
1/4 cup Rice Dream
For the rice:
1 1/2 cups brown rice, cooked according to package directions
1 teaspoon fresh chives, chopped - Add to rice.
1/4 cup red pepper chopped - Add to rice.Method:
To make the meatballs, just put everything in a large bowl, and then, using your hands, mix to combine, before shaping into small balls. You can use an implement but these were the directions from the original recipe and I smiled and decided to leave it, as is.

Place the meatballs on a cookie sheets that you have lined with parchment paper.

Place in 350 degree oven and bake for 22 minutes.

To make the tomato sauce, place tomatoes in a large skillet and break them up. Cook for approximately ten minutes or until broken down. You should remove the skins first but I didn't and blending everything took out most of the lumps and bumps.Add the onion and garlic to the tomato and cook for another 5 minutes. Cook a little and put the Tomato, onion, garlic , sugar and oregano into the process and blitz to a pulp. (I love how Nigella writes.)

Stir in the Rice Dream, and then drop the cooked meatballs into the sauce and heat together.
Now, it is time to layer. Use a baking dish, preferably a rectangle but it is not important. Spray the bottom of the pan with cooking oil and cover with the rice. Top with half of the sauce. Then comes the meatballs covered by the other half of sauce.

Eat and enjoy.

Linked to See Ya in the Gumbo - go on over and visit Michelle      Simple Supper Tuesday      Real Food Forager    Simply Sugar and Gluten Free     The Gathering Spot    Traditional Tuesdays @ Cooking Traditional Foods     Hearth and Soul    My Sweet and Savory

Comments

  1. Hi Chaya,
    I can imagine how flavourful the sauce must be, tomatoes from your garden! How lovely!
    I have never tried baking meatballs before, always cooked them directly in the sauce. Definitely one to be considered the next time when I made some meatballs.
    Thank you for sharing to both CLAS and CYB!
    Hope you have a great week ahead!

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  2. I love using my garden tomatoes. Great recipe! Thanks for joining us this week at Let's Get Social Sunday party. Have a wonderful week!

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  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  4. So creamy and delicious. You don't often see rice with meatballs--I like this twist. I also like that this is more of a casserole than your typical meatballs & spaghetti. I'll have to make this for my son. Meatballs are one of his favorite meals. Thank you for sharing this week, Chaya!

    (sorry for the deletion above)

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  5. Hi Chaya,

    It's almost Spring now in Australia and seeing your dish made with homegrown tomatoes remind me that it's time that we need to buy tomato baby plants soon...

    Zoe

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  6. Looks like I'll be making this soon. Yum :)

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  7. Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe :)

    I found your blog via the Hearth & Soul Hop this week.

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