Pasta casserole with herbs and meatballs

Ingredients:

Meatballs

• Extra-virgin olive oil, to grease the baking dish
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 220 g of ground beef with 20% fat content
• 220 g of minced pork
• 0.5 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Paste

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 can (800 g) of canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (400 g) of canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil + 4 large sprigs fresh basil
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 450 g dry penne pasta (feathers)
• 3 tbsp. grated fresh mozzarella
• 1 tbsp. grated parmesan

Preparation:

1. Position the oven rack approximately 8 cm from the heating element and preheat the oven to broil. Line a 22 x 32 cm baking dish with foil and lightly grease with olive oil.
2. Place the breadcrumbs in a large bowl and pour in the milk. Stir to moisten and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and pork, Parmesan, garlic, oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and mix with your hands. Add the egg and mix well, distributing the ingredients evenly. Form the mixture into 2.5 cm balls and place them in the prepared baking dish.
3. Grill the meatballs in the oven until golden brown on top, about 4 minutes. Turn them over and continue grilling until cooked through, about 4 more minutes. Wash a large bowl.
4. Switch the oven to baking mode at 230°C.
5. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and season with salt. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add both cans of tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly, add the basil sprigs, and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens, 15-20 minutes. Remove the basil sprigs, stir in the chopped basil and parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and place the pasta in a large bowl.
7. Add the tomato sauce, meatballs, half the mozzarella, and half the Parmesan to the bowl and toss well to evenly distribute the ingredients. Transfer the pasta to a 3- to 4-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes and serve.