Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs In The Slow Cooker

 

Serves 4-5 Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 pound hot Italian sausage
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Low moisture mozzarella 
Sauce: 
1 1/2 cans of tomato Passata (tomato puree) 
1/2 a white onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
3 fresh thyme sprigs
salt & pepper


The recipe asks for "low moisture mozzarella cheese". I wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but picked a firm mozzarella cheese (that comes in a ball). Cut the cheese into 3/4 inch cubes cubes. Store in refrigerator while preparing the meat.

In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients except for the mozzarella cheese. Mix gently and be careful not to over mix. Roll meat mixture into golf ball sized balls (mine were a little bigger than a golf ball). Squish a mozzarella cube into the centre of each ball and pull the edges of the meat ball around it until it’s a new ball again.

Pour half a bottle of passata in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add chopped onion and smashed garlic. Arrange as many meatballs as you can on the bottom layer. Cover with more sauce. Layer next meatballs. Cover with remaining sauce so the meatballs are just submerged. Toss in thyme sprigs and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.  Cook on high for 2 and half to 3 hours depending on size of meatballs.

I cooked some spaghetti to al dente and tossed it with some of the sauce from the slow cooker. Added the meatballs on top and topped with fresh parsley and fresh parmesan. YUM!!