Baked Spinach and Cheese Balls

Makes approx 20

120g spinach leaves

20g butter

1 medium brown onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

150g button mushrooms, diced

1 cup fresh gluten-free breadcrumbs

200g plain cottage cheese

1 egg, whisked

1 cup grated tasty cheese

40
0g savoury flavoured chopped tomatoes (Italian or Moroccan flavour)

410g can tomato puree

½ cup grated tasty cheese, extra

1.Preheat oven to 180˚C. Wash spinach and place into a bowl. Cover with boiling water and stand for 1 minute or until just wilted. Drain and plunge into icy-cold water. Drain. Using your hands, squeeze as much water as possible from spinach. Finely chop.

2.Heat butter in a non-stick frying 
pan over a medium heat. When butter is melted, add onion and cook for 3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are beginning to brown. Transfer to a large bowl and cool.

3.Add spinach, breadcrumbs, cottage cheese, egg, tasty cheese, salt and pepper to onion mixture. Stir until well combined.

4.Pour chopped tomatoes and tomato puree into a baking dish. Roll vegetable mixture into golf-ball-size balls and place onto tomato base.

5.Sprinkle with extra cheese. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden.

Tip: Instead of chopped tomatoes 
and tomato puree, you could use 
Italian-flavoured tomato sauce.