Meatball, pepper & orzo bake

This simple one-pot is ideal for anyone looking to reduce their meat consumption without compromising on flavour.

Ingreadient

• 1 tbsp Essential Olive Oil, plus a splash, if needed
• 336g pack 12 Eat Flexi British Beef Tomato Red Pepper Meatballs
• 2 clove/s garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp heaped tbsp Essential Tomato Purée
• 230g jar Fragata Pimiento Piquillo Peppers, drained, peppers quartered
• 250g orzo
• 350ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 150g ball Essential Italian Mozzarella, drained and roughly torn
• Flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped, to serve (optional)
• 200g steamed green beans, to serve

Step by step

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4. Heat the oil in a large, lidded, ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs for 5 minutes, turning regularly, until browned. Lift out of the pan and set aside.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and add a splash more oil to the pan, if needed, then add the garlic and fry for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato purée and fry for 1 minute more, then finally add the quartered peppers and fry, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.
3. Rinse the orzo well, then stir into the pan with the stock and season with salt. Return the meatballs to the pan, scatter over the mozzarella and grind over some black pepper. Cover and bake for 10 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for a final 10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and no pink meat remains. Let stand for 5 minutes before scattering with parsley, if using, and serving with green beans.