Spaghetti & meatballs
By Sarah Cook
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Makes about 10 servings
Get everyone to help rolling meatballs and you'll soon have one supper on the table and another in the freezer
Sauce and meatballs can be frozen
Nutrition: per serving
kcal 870 fat 37g saturates 13g carbs 95g sugars1 3g fibre 5g protein 46g salt 1.34g
Ingredients
8 good-quality pork sausages
1kg beef mince
1 onion, finely chopped
½ a large bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
85g parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve if you like
100g fresh breadcrumbs
2 eggs, beaten with a fork
olive oil, for roasting
spaghetti, to serve (you'll need about 100g per portion)
For the sauce
3 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
4 x 400g cans chopped tomato
125ml red wine (optional)
3 tbsp caster sugar
½ a large bunch flat-leaf parsley
Parsley, finely chopped
few basil leaves (optional)
Method
First make the meatballs. Split the sausage skins and squeeze out the meat into
your largest mixing bowl. Add the mince, onion, parsley, Parmesan, breadcrumbs,
beaten eggs and lots of seasoning. Get your hands in and mix together really
well – the more you squeeze and mash the mince, the more tender the meatballs
will be.
Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Roll the mince mixture into about 50
golf-ball-size meatballs. Set aside any meatballs for freezing, allowing about
5 per portion, then spread the rest out in a large roasting tin – the meatballs
will brown better if spaced out a bit. Drizzle with a little oil (about 1 tsp
per portion), shake to coat, then roast for 20-30 mins until browned.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the oil in your largest pan. Add the garlic and
sizzle for 1 min. Stir in the tomatoes, wine, if using, sugar, parsley and
seasoning. Simmer for 15-20 mins until slightly thickened. Stir in the basil
leaves, if using, spoon out any portions for freezing, then add the cooked
meatballs to the pan to keep warm while you boil the spaghetti. Spoon the sauce
and meatballs over spaghetti, or stir them all together and serve with extra
Parmesan and a few basil leaves, if you like.