Catherine Fulvio’s Meatballs in a Spicy Tomato Sauce

Meatballs form the secondi or meat course at the Italian table, while pasta is the primi, so they would not traditionally be served together. That said, they work well together, so if this takes your fancy, allow 400–450g of dried spaghetti to serve four. I also sometimes add 50g freshly grated Parmesan to the meatballs and reduce the salt, yum!

Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce – perfect for spicing up a chilly day!

Serves 6

for the meatballs:

50g fresh breadcrumbs

100ml milk

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

225g minced pork

225g lean minced beef

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

1⁄2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 egg, beaten

extra virgin olive oil

for the spicy tomato sauce:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

175ml vegetable stock

500g tinned chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato puree

salt and freshly ground black pepper

pasta, to serve

1. To make the meatballs, firstly soak the breadcrumbs in the milk.
2.  Mix the chopped onion and garlic with the pork and beef. Add the breadcrumbs,oregano, salt and pepper to the meat mixture and mix well. Add in the beaten egg and mix thoroughly. Roll the mixture into small balls.

3. Heat some oil in a frying pan and add in the meatballs. Fry for approximately 5 minutes,turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. Remove from the heat and set aside.

5.  To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the chilli and onion and cook on a low heat for 7–10 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, stock, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add the meatballs to the sauce and leave to simmer for 10 minutes to heat through.
7.  Serve with your favourite pasta and sprinkle grated Parmesan on top.

* Have a bowl of cold water beside you when forming the meatballs to dip your hands into, as keeping your hands moist prevents the meat from sticking when forming the balls.

Buon Appetito!

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