Cherry tomato meatball ragu with crispy baby potato crust

• olive oil↗½ tbsp tbsp

  plus extra for the pan and greasing

• baby potatoes↗1kg kg
• meatballs24
• small onion or shallot1

  finely chopped

• carrot↗1

  grated

• cherry tomatoes↗200g g
• garlic clove↗1

  minced or finely grated

• tomato paste1 tbsp tbsp
• passata↗200ml ml
• cheddar↗75g g

  grated

• parmesan↗25g g

  grated

• basil leaves↗a few

  for serving

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C with convection/gas 6 and grease a 22 cm pie tin with oil. Boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted boiling water over high heat until tender, about 12‑15 minutes. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain the water, then place them in the tin and roughly mash with a potato masher until they cover the bottom and sides, forming a crust. Brush with a little more oil, then bake for 10‑15 minutes until they begin to turn golden.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, heat ½ tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the meatballs on all sides until golden. Transfer them to a plate using a slotted spoon. Sauté the onion and carrot in the remaining oil over low heat for 8‑10 minutes until softened.

3. 3

   Add the cherry tomatoes and garlic, sauté for another 5‑10 minutes until the tomatoes break down. Stir in the tomato paste and passata, cook for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly, then return the meatballs to the skillet. Spoon the meatball mixture over the potato base in the tin. Sprinkle with cheese, then bake for 30‑40 minutes until the cheese turns golden. Garnish with basil leaves before serving.