Meatball Sub Pizza . . . Nom! Nom!

 

This is my last meat posting for a while. We don't normally eat that much meat in our house, so this week was surely the exception.  As I will soon be going away for a while, I wanted to make sure I had tried out all of the meat products sent to me by Westin Gourmet before I go.  I still have some steaks to try out, but I'm going to be taking a bread from meat this weekend and my next post should have some tasty Easter Goodies for you to eyeball and maybe even bake this weekend!

 

One of the things I was sent was Veal Meatballs.   I avoided veal for many years, having seen film on the telly of  veal calves being force fed, etc.  and spending the whole of their short lives tied up in a very small space . . . it just wasn't something I wanted a part of or to support in any way.

From the Westin Gourmet page:

Our High Welfare British grain fed veal has a subtle yet sublime flavour and a healthy pale pink colour which is indicative of high welfare veal. High in protein, low in calories and very low in fat, veal is an extremely healthy choice. 
All of our veal products come from Brookfield Farm in Tarrant Valley in Dorset One of the UK's leading ethical veal producers, they recently won the Sourcing Honours Award for their High Welfare English Veal at the Health & Vitality Honours.
Proud owners of a Good Calf Commendation from Compassion in World Farming Brookfield's are committed to sustainable farming and animal welfare so you can be confident that the animal led a happy, healthy life.
The RSPCA are also actively supporting High Welfare British Rose veal production awarding all of our veal products the prestigious Freedom Food Certification.

 

It all sounds pretty good and ethical to me.  I thought about what I was going to do with them for a few days and a few thoughts went through my mind . . . meatball subs, kept coming up to the forefront of my thinking and then I remembered a Meatball Sub Casserole I had made once when my children were growing up and how much they enjoyed it, and then I thought . . . Meatball Sub Pizza!  Why not!  I love pizza!

 

The veal meatballs were tender and delicious.  Not dry, but very moist, and yet, not in the least bit greasy.  In short I felt they would be perfect for what I had in mind.



I used the basic pizza crust that I always make from scratch.  It makes the type of crust that we like, not too thick, not too thin . . . but with a nice crisp edge.



I rolled it out and then baked it for a few minutes before doing anything else to it so that it would not get soggy when I spread it with my special meatball casserole cheese/mayo spread/topping.   I spice it with Italian Seasoning, which can be hard to find over here in the UK, but if you look over in my right hand side bar, about halfway down the page you'll find a great recipe to make your own.

 

After the mayo/cheese spread, I topped the pizza with two kind of cheese and the meatballs evenly spaced on top of the cheese.  I then drizzled each meatball with some of my special pizza sauce and sprinkled the whole thing with some nicely grated Parmesan cheese, and then I popped it into the oven.



The end result was a pizza that was deliciously different and that we both enjoyed a lot!  I am beginning to think that the Toddster actually really does like pizza . . . or maybe I am just wearing him down and he's decided if you can't beat them you just might as well join them!  I do hope you will give this a try, and if you can't get veal meatballs I am sure any meatball would work just fine.  I'm just saying that these Veal Meatballs were spectacularly delicious!

 

*Meatball Sub Pizza*
Serves 8

Printable Recipe

Your favourite casserole as a pizza.  Well, it's one of our favourite casseroles anyways.  Okay so it's one of MY favourite casseroles.   As a pizza.  'Nuff said.

1 package of veal meatballs, or your favourite kind of meatballs
1 recipe of your favourite pizza dough  (My recipe makes two crusts, so I use half of it, and freeze the
other half for another time)  Here's mine.
coarse polenta or cornmeal
1 250g package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 dessertspoons of light mayonnaise (about 1/3 cup)
1 tsp Italian seasoning (I make my own.  See my sidebar.)
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 pound of a mix of grated mozzarella and cheddar
Parmesan cheese, finely grated
your favourite pizza sauce (I have a great recipe here.)
(You will only need about 1/2 of it, of that.  It freezes well.)

Preheat your oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Line a baking tray with foil.  Spray it with nonstick cooking spray.   Place your meatballs on the tray and them bake them into the heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until no longer pink in the middle.   Set aside.

Whisk together the cream cheese, mayonnaise and Italian seasoning.  Season to taste with some salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Butter a medium sized baking tray and scatter it with some polenta or cornmeal.  Roll your pizza dough out to fit onto the tray.  Place it on top of the cornmeal.  Bake for 10 minutes or until the crust is dry to the touch and beginning to brown on the edges.  Remove from the oven and spread with the cream cheese mixture.   Scatter with 2/3 of the cheese.  Top with the meatballs, spacing them out evenly.   Spoon a bit of the pizza sauce on top of each meatball and then drizzle some more in between each on top of the cheese.   Scatter the remaining cheese on top and sprinkle well with some Parmesan Cheese.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbling and heated through and the crust is nicely browned.  Cut into squares to serve.

  

Westin Gourmet Veal Meatballs are made from only the finest cuts of 100% British high welfare Veal.  Priced at .82p a serving.

 

Again many thanks to Westin Gourmet for sending me these products and giving me the opportunity to change my mind about the humanity of eating veal, and proving to me that it can be done right.