Meatballs and pasta
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
1 • Pick the rosemary leaves off the woody stalks and finely chop them
2. 2 • Wrap the crackers in a tea towel and smash up until fine, breaking up any big bits with your hands
3. 3 • Add to a mixing bowl with the mustard, minced meat, chopped rosemary and oregano
4. 4 • Crack in the egg and add a good pinch of salt and pepper
5. 5 • With clean hands scrunch and mix up well
6. 6 • Divide into 4 large balls
7. 7 • With wet hands, divide each ball into 6 and roll into little meatballs – you should end up with 24
8. 8 • Drizzle them with olive oil and jiggle them about so they all get coated
9. 9 • Put them on a plate, cover and place in the fridge until needed
10. To cook your pasta, meatballs and sauce
10 • Pick the basil leaves, keeping any smaller ones to one side for later
11. 11 • Peel and finely chop the onion and the garlic
12. 12 • Finely slice the chilli
13. 13 • Put a large pan of salted water on to boil
14. 14 • Next, heat a large frying pan on a medium heat and add 2 lugs of olive oil
15. 15 • Add your onion to the frying pan and stir for around 7 minutes or until softened and lightly golden
16. 16 • Then add your garlic and chilli, and as soon as they start to get some colour add the large basil leaves
17. 17 • Add the tomatoes and the balsamic vinegar
18. 18 • Bring to the boil and season to taste
19. 19 • Meanwhile, heat another large frying pan and add a lug of olive oil and your meatballs
20. 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. 21 • Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer until the pasta is ready, then remove from the heat
22. 22 • Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the packet instructions
23. 23 To serve your meatballs
• Saving some of the cooking water, drain the pasta in a colander
24. 24 • Return the pasta to the pan
25. 25 • Spoon half the tomato sauce into the pasta, adding a little splash of your reserved water to loosen
26. 26 • Serve on a large platter, or in separate bowls, with the rest of the sauce and meatballs on top
27. 27 • Sprinkle over the small basil leaves and some grated Parmesan
September 05, 2013 11:17
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