Spaghetti & Meatballs

 Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 250 gm minced veal
• 250 gm minced pork
• 1 egg
• 3 heaped tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• chilli paste
• sea salt & freshly ground pepper
• plain flour
• 400 gm passata (Italian tomato cooking sauce)
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 2 heaped tspn fresh basil leaves, torn
• 400 gm linguine
• freshly grated Parmesan

Method

1. Heat a little oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and gently sauté the onion and garlic until softish.
2. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl with the mince, egg, parsley, 1 tbsp chilli paste and a decent amount of seasonings. Stir well using a wooden spoon.
3. Wipe out the pan with kitchen paper towels and heat a thin layer of fresh oil.
4. Form the mince mixture into walnut-sized balls. Then roll in flour and panfry until browned all over.
5. Add the passata to the pan with 2 tspn chilli paste, ground pepper and the stock. Toss the meatballs and cook until the sauce has reduced, turning every now and then. Then taste the sauce for seasoning and stir through the basil.
6. At the same time, cook the linguine in plenty of well salted, boiling water until al dente. Drain well.
7. To serve, mound the pasta in individual flat soup bowls and top with the meatballs, plenty of the sauce, a good amount of parmesan and a sprinkling of fresh oil.

My Alterations: I will be using regular Aldi pasta sauce, less chilli paste in some of the meatballs (Soong does NOT like chilli to my dismay), and 500 grams of beef mince rather than pork and veal mince.


Taste Rating: 3.5/5
Calorie Rating: 585 calories per serve – serves 4