Family Bake of Short Pasta, Beef Meatballs and Zucchini with Gentle Ricotta Tomato Cream

Instructions

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   1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Lightly grease a large baking dish with a little of the olive oil.

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   2. Boil the short pasta in plenty of water with part of the salt until just al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Reserve 120 ml / 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta.

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   3. While the pasta cooks, make the meatballs: in a bowl combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, half of the chopped garlic, half of the parsley, sweet paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp dried oregano. Shape into small meatballs about walnut size.

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   4. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs for 5 to 7 minutes, turning so they sear on several sides. They do not need to be fully cooked yet. Transfer to a plate.

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   5. In the same skillet add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, the yellow onion, and the zucchini. Cook for 6 minutes over medium heat until the onion softens and the zucchini loses some of its moisture.

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   6. Add the remaining garlic, crushed tomatoes, milk, dried basil, the remaining dried oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat. Then stir in the ricotta and half of the grated Parmesan until you have a creamy sauce.

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   7. Add the cooked pasta and the browned meatballs to the skillet. Toss gently so everything is coated in sauce. If the mixture seems too thick, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water. Stir in the remaining fresh parsley.

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   8. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and the remaining grated Parmesan over the top.

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   9. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 200 °C / 400 °F, until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the meatballs are fully cooked through.

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    10. For a deeper golden top, broil for 2 to 3 additional minutes, watching closely. Let rest for 8 minutes before serving so the bake can set slightly.