Baked Meatballs and Vegetables
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 700g medium-fat ground beef
- 1 large onion
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
- 2 cloves crushed garlic
- 2-3 pinches chopped parsley
- Black pepper, red pepper powder, cumin, chili flakes and salt
Vegetables
- 3 large carrots
- 3 large potatoes
- 2 large eggplants
- 2 medium zucchinis
- 2 large bell peppers
- 6 chili peppers
- 4 large onions
- 6-8 cloves garlic
- 60 ml olive oil
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1.5 cups hot water
- 5 tablespoons oil
- Salt, red pepper powder, chili flakes, thyme
Preparation
Chop onion and garlic in a blender to puree, add all meatball ingredients and knead. Cover and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
Peel eggplants in stripes and cut all vegetables into medium cubes of equal size to match the meatballs.
Pile the vegetables into a wide and deep tray. Sprinkle salt and olive oil over them and mix by hand.
Pour into a baking dish and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C on the second rack from the bottom for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, shape the meat mixture into walnut-sized balls.
After 25 minutes, remove vegetables from oven and place meatballs on top. For the sauce, whisk all sauce ingredients in a bowl and pour over the meatballs and vegetables.
Wet baking paper under the tap, squeeze it, and cover the tray like a lid. Return to the oven on the second rack for 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, check with a fork if done. If cooked, remove the paper, bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes, and serve.
