Swedish Meatball Pasta Bake

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200 °C for 15 min. Meanwhile, soak the breadcrumbs briefly in the milk in a bowl, then add the finely grated onion, beef, pork, salt, white pepper and allspice and mix until sticky. With wet hands, roll into small 2 cm meatballs; small ones are easy to eat with the pasta.

   Add in this stepBreadcrumbs (or panko) 15 gMilk 40 mlOnion ½Minced beef 100 gMinced pork 100 gSalt ½ tspWhite pepper 1 pinchGround allspice 1 pinch

   oven

2. Heat the oil in a 26 cm frying pan on medium-high heat, add the meatballs and fry for 6 min, rolling them, just until browned outside; they finish cooking in the oven. Set them aside on a plate and don't wash the pan.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil 1 tbsp

   medium-high heat

3. Bring plenty of salted water to the boil in a 20 cm pot on high heat, add the pasta and cook for 8 min, 2 minutes less than the packet says, so it doesn't turn soft in the oven. Drain.

   Add in this stepShort pasta (penne, rigatoni) 140 g

   high heat

4. Turn the meatball pan down to medium-low heat, melt the butter, add the flour and stir for 1 min, scraping up the browned bits. Whisk in the stock a little at a time so there are no lumps, then add the cream, soy sauce and mustard and simmer for 4 min. It should be about as thick as runny yoghurt; the pasta soaks up sauce in the oven, so it needs to be on the loose side.

   Add in this stepButter 20 gPlain flour 1 tbspBeef stock 160 mlDouble cream 120 mlSoy sauce 1 tspDijon mustard 1 tsp

   medium-low heat

5. Toss the pasta and meatballs in the sauce, tip everything into a 20×15 cm ovenproof dish and scatter the cheese evenly over the top.

   Add in this stepGrated cheddar 50 g

6. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 14 min, until the sauce is bubbling at the edges and the cheese is melted and golden.

   oven

7. Leave it for 5 min so the sauce settles a little, then dot spoonfuls of lingonberry jam over the top, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

   Add in this stepLingonberry jam (or cranberry sauce) 2 tbspChopped parsley 2 tsp