Meatballs and pasta warning long recipe but worth it
Recipe by Rhys Palmer
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 12 Jacob’s cream crackers
• 2 heaped teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 500g good-quality minced beef, pork, or a mixture of the two
• 1 heaped tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 large egg, preferably free-range or organic
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil
• a bunch of fresh basil
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ½ a fresh or dried red chilli
• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 400g dried spaghetti or penne
• Parmesan cheese, for grating
Prep. Time → 30 min
Cook Time → 30 min
1. To make your meatballs
• Pick the rosemary leaves off the woody stalks and finely chop them
2. • Wrap the crackers in a tea towel and smash up until fine, breaking up any big bits with your hands
3. • Add to a mixing bowl with the mustard, minced meat, chopped rosemary and oregano
4. • Crack in the egg and add a good pinch of salt and pepper
5. • With clean hands scrunch and mix up well
6. • Divide into 4 large balls
7. • With wet hands, divide each ball into 6 and roll into little meatballs – you should end up with 24
8. • Drizzle them with olive oil and jiggle them about so they all get coated
9. • Put them on a plate, cover and place in the fridge until needed
10. To cook your pasta, meatballs and sauce
• Pick the basil leaves, keeping any smaller ones to one side for later
11. • Peel and finely chop the onion and the garlic
12. • Finely slice the chilli
13. • Put a large pan of salted water on to boil
14. • Next, heat a large frying pan on a medium heat and add 2 lugs of olive oil
15. • Add your onion to the frying pan and stir for around 7 minutes or until softened and lightly golden
16. • Then add your garlic and chilli, and as soon as they start to get some colour add the large basil leaves
17. • Add the tomatoes and the balsamic vinegar
18. • Bring to the boil and season to taste
19. • Meanwhile, heat another large frying pan and add a lug of olive oil and your meatballs
20. • Stir them around and cook for 8–10 minutes until golden (check they’re cooked by opening one up – there should be no sign of pink)
21. • Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer until the pasta is ready, then remove from the heat
22. • Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the packet instructions
23. To serve your meatballs
• Saving some of the cooking water, drain the pasta in a colander
24. • Return the pasta to the pan
25. • Spoon half the tomato sauce into the pasta, adding a little splash of your reserved water to loosen
26. • Serve on a large platter, or in separate bowls, with the rest of the sauce and meatballs on top
27. • Sprinkle over the small basil leaves and some grated Parmesan
main courses September 25, 2012 20:03
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