You can’t beat proper homemade meatballs cooked in a rich tomato sauce. This is our go-to recipe; it may look simple but it tastes incredible. It’s a perfect dinner party recipe for everyone to tuck in to. Or a quick, comforting, homemade supper that could be taken to the sofa with a glass of red wine.
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2×400 ml cans whole plum tomatoes
- 1 tsp sugar
Meatballs
- 2 slices white sandwich bread
- 60 ml milk
- 450 g minced meat pork & beef
- 150 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup (10 g) chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground fennel
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
To Serve
- Spaghetti
- Basil leaves
Method
1. Tomato Sauce: In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, lightly brown the garlic in the oil with the bay leaf and red pepper flakes. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes. When they begin to break down, coarsely crush the tomatoes using a potato masher. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Keep warm. Take away the bay leaf.
2. Meatballs: Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the bread until the size of bread crumbs. In a large bowl, soak the bread crumbs in the milk for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and, using your hands, combine well.
3. Working with lightly oiled hands, shape each meatball using 1 tbsp of the mixture.
4. Place the meatballs in the tomato sauce, cover and cook for 10 minutes over medium-low heat, turning them a few times during cooking. Uncover and continue cooking for 10 minutes or until cooked through.
5. Serve the meatballs with spaghetti and fresh basil leaves.
