Mini Lamb Meatballs with Penne

A delicious twist on a classic meal, Lamb meatballs made with Northern Irish Farm Quality Assured lamb with the addition of peas, feta cheese and mint.
Mini Lamb Meatballs with Penne preparation time
Prep: 1 hour 55 minutes
Mini Lamb Meatballs with Penne cook time
Cook: 20 minutes
Mini Lamb Meatballs with Penne preparation time Serves: 4
Mini Lamb Meatballs with Penne preparation time Oven Temp: 200

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C and grease a non-stick baking tray.
  • Finely chop the spring onions and crush the garlic, mix these with the minced Lamb, rosemary, egg and breadcrumbs
  • Mix together all the ingredients for the meatballs and season well with salt and pepper.
  • Pinch off small cherry-sized pieces of the mince mixture, roll into balls and arrange on the baking tray with space between each one. Drizzle with a little olive oil, then cook in the hot oven for about 20 minutes. Shake the tray half way through to help the meat balls brown.
  • Put a large pan of lightly salted water on to boil, while you chop up the tomatoes. Cook the pasta according to the timing given on the pack, drain then mix with the tomatoes and peas, roughly crumble the feta and tear the mint leaves and add these to the pasta and a little extra olive oil if you wish.
  • Check the meatballs are cooked through then toss them and any pan juices in with the pasta mixture and serve straight away.

Ingredients

  • 500 g Minced NIFQA lamb
  • 6 Spring onions
  • 1 Clove garlic
  • 2 tbsp Breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp Rosemary finely chopped/1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 Medium egg
  • A little olive oil to drizzle over the meatballs
  • 6 Ripe tomatoes
  • 100 g Peas
  • 150 - 200 g Feta cheese
  • 10 g Mint leaves
  • 500 g Pack fresh penne pasta