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SERVES:
serves 4 (makes approx. 12 meatballs)

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 -1 pound spaghetti (see hints below)

approx. 3-ounces fresh mozzarella cheese cut into 1/2-inch cubes

one 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and well drained

1 pound lean ground beef
1/3 cup plus 2 Tbs dried breadcrumbs
1 large egg
2 tsp finely minced garlic
1/4 -1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
pinch red pepper flakes
pinch salt

marinara sauce as needed (approx. 3-4 cups)

grated parmesan cheese for garnish

PROCEDURE:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and also get a large pot of water going for cooking the pasta.

Cut about 3 ounces of fresh mozzarella cheese into 1/2-inch cubes....before handling the raw meat.

To make the meatballs, add the one pound of beef to a large mixing bowl and add a generous 1/3 cup dried breadcrumbs, 1 large egg, 2 tsp finely minced garlic, a little sprinkling of dried oregano and dried basil, add a pinch of red pepper flakes and salt to taste and then add one defrosted, well drained 10-ounce box of chopped spinach and mix everything to combine.

At that point, add a good splash of olive oil to a large baking tray and shape the ground beef into 2-inch meatballs.....stuffing one piece of mozzarella cheese into the center of each one...placing them onto the baking tray as you go.

Place the tray into the preheated oven and let the meatballs bake for 15 minutes or so to set up.

After 10 minutes, add the pasta to the boiling water and then, once the meatballs have been baking for 15 minutes, transfer them to a large pot and finish cooking them in marinara sauce as the pasta is cooking.

Depending on the size of the meatballs, they'll take another 5 -10 minutes to finish up in the sauce.

Then serve them up over the hot pasta with a sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese.

HINTS:

Instead of serving with pasta, serve the meatballs as hot meatball subs!