Italian Meatballs

Italian Meatballs

serves 8

This is a family favourite, there is something comforting about a bowl of pasta with juicy meatballs in tomato sauce sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. This recipe makes around 8 portions, I freeze left over meatballs in freezer bags, for a quick standby meal.

Ingredients

1 onion finely chopped
4 cloves garlic crushed
1 tbs rosemary finely chopped
1 tbs oregano finely chopped
2 tbs parsley and basil chopped
250g ricotta cheese
300g lamb mince
400g beef mince
1 teas salt
1/2 teas pepper
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
zest of 1 lemon
1egg
Sauce
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic
2 tbs tomato paste
3 / 400g cans tinned tomatoes
1 cup water
1 teas dried oregano and basil

Method

Fry the onion and garlic in 1tbs of olive oil until soft, transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool.
Once the onion mixture is cool add remaining meatball ingredients, mix to combine and let rest in the fridge foe 1/2 hour.
Roll the meatballs and place on a large lined oven pan, they should be about the size of a golf ball.
Cook in a preheated oven (200c) for 20 minutes.
To make the sauce add olive oil to a large saucepan and fry the onion and garlic for 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and dried herbs, cook for 15 minutes.
With a stick blender process the sauce check for seasoning.Note if it is to thick add extra water.
Remove the meatballs from the oven and place into the sauce, cook for a further 20 minutes over a low heat.
Cook spaghetti according to the packet instructions.
Place meatballs on top of spaghetti and extra Parmesan cheese.

I thought I would share a few tips, if the sauce is to thick use the pasta water to loosen it. Keep the rinds of your Parmesan and when making dishes such as this add it to the sauce for extra flavour, just remove before serving.