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Cheesy Meatball Open Toast served on a speckled ceramic plate. The dish features crusty sourdough toast topped with a creamy cheese sauce, juicy Italian-style meatballs in tomato sauce, fresh basil and a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese. A glass of cold beer sits beside the plate, completing the perfect comfort food pairing.
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Cheesy Meatball Open Toast Recipe

Mouthwatering Italian-American inspired open toast topped with cheese sauce, basil, juicy meatballs in tomato sauce and lashings of grated parmesan cheese.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Servings: 6 slices of toast

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 500g pork or beef mince
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • Salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 60g panko bread crumbs
  • Black pepper
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes

Tomato Sauce

  • 400ml tomato passata
  • Large pinch of salt
  • Squeeze of lemon

Cheese Sauce

  • 1 clove of garlic halved
  • 350g grated mozzarella cheese
  • 50g grated Parmesan
  • 150ml milk
  • 1.5 tsp lemon juice
  • Smoked paprika for garnish

Toast & Garnish

  • 6 slices crusty white bread
  • butter
  • 1 large garlic clove
  • 12 medium-large basil leaves
  • Parmesan cheese for grating

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 220°C
  • Prepare the meatballs: Combine all meatball ingredients. Fry a small amount of the mixture in a pan to test if the seasoning is right. If not add more salt and pepper as needed.
  • Using a small ice cream scoop or leveled spoon, form 24 small meatballs.
  • Line a roasting tray with baking paper and lay meatballs out evenly onto the tray. Transfer to oven and roast for 10 minutes.
  • For the tomato sauce: Combine passata, salt and lemon in a small pan and heat. Add cooked meatballs and cover each ball in tomato sauce. Keep warm until ready to use.
  • Make the Cheese Sauce:
    Split the garlic open and use it to rub inside a small saucepan. Pour in the milk and bring to a high heat, but do not boil. Slowly incorporate the grated cheese, whisking constantly until smooth. Add the lemon juice then taste then season with salt and pepper.
  • To finish: Toast bread. Spread each slice with butter and rub with garlic clove.
  • Divide fondue sauce on each slice of toast. Sprinklewith smoked paprika. Place 2 basil leaves over the cheese. Top with 4 meatballsand tomato sauce and garnish with grated parmesan cheese.

Notes