French-style Potato & Meatball Bake (potatoes layered with seasoned meatballs, topped with sauce and melted cheese). Here’s an easy version:
Ingredients (4–6 servings)
For the meatballs
500 g (1 lb) ground beef (or beef + pork)
1 small onion, finely grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
For the potato layer
4–5 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced into thin half-moons
Sauce
1 cup heavy cream (or cooking cream)
½ cup milk
2 tbsp tomato sauce or tomato paste
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper to taste
Topping
200–250 g shredded mozzarella (or mozzarella + cheddar)
Instructions
Prepare the meatballs
Mix ground meat, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Form medium meatballs.
Arrange the dish
Grease a round baking dish.
Stand potato slices vertically around and between the meatballs (like in the photo).
Add sauce
Whisk together cream, milk, tomato sauce, seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Pour evenly over the potatoes and meatballs.
Bake
Cover with foil.
Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 45–50 minutes.
Add cheese
Remove foil, sprinkle cheese generously on top.
Bake uncovered for 10–15 more minutes until golden and bubbly.
Serve
Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Great with a simple salad or crusty bread.
