Baked Spinach and Cheese Balls Recipe
Makes approx 20 balls
Ingredients:
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
Method:
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.
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.
Add spinach, breadcrumbs, cottage cheese, egg, tasty cheese, salt and pepper to onion mixture. Stir until well combined.
Pour chopped tomatoes and tomato puree into a baking dish. Roll vegetable mixture into golf-ball-size balls and place onto tomato base.
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.
Smart Tip:
Instead of chopped tomatoes and tomato puree, you could use Italian-flavoured tomato sauce.
