Name: Spaghetti and mini Meatballs
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 300 g minced beef; 4 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp breadcrumbs; 1 egg; 1 handful of parsley, fresh; 1 handful of parmesan, freshly grated; 400 g dried spaghetti; 1/2 tsp all spice; 1 carrot, large; 1 onion; 1 clove of garlic; 10 cherry tomatoes; 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 100 g tinned chopped tomatoes; 1 handful of fresh basil

Spaghetti and mini Meatballs

So much fun to make. If possible, we make 2 portions of meatballs and freeze one bunch. It's great to have some in the freezer because some weekdays can really be busy and hectic and there is no time to cook. So for that kind of days, it's great to have a delicious, homemade lunch. We love to add freshly grated parmesan cheese, it adds a whole different texture and taste. Easy, delicious and affordable meal.

Ingredients

Spaghetti and mini Meatballs

300 g minced beef

4 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp breadcrumbs

1 egg

1 handful of parsley, fresh

1 handful of parmesan, freshly grated

400 g dried spaghetti

1/2 tsp all spice

tomato sauce

1 carrot, large

1 onion

1 clove of garlic

10 cherry tomatoes

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

100 g tinned chopped tomatoes

1 handful of fresh basil

Tools and equipment

bowl

large skillet

pot

wooden spoon

kitchen knife

METHOD

Meatballs

Combine minced meat, one tablespoon of olive oil, breadcrumbs, finely chopped parsley, freshly grated parmesan and an egg in a bowl. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper, sea salt and all spice. Gently mix until everything is just combined. Form 14 small meatballs, each should weight around 20g / 0.7 oz.

Tip

If you have more meat than necessary, you can make more and freeze in the freezer for up to a month.
Fry the meatballs

Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and fry for about 10 minutes or until they’re lightly browned. Bring a stockpot of water to a boil, season with salt.
Tomato Sauce

Meanwhile prepare the vegetables. Peel the onion and garlic clove. Finely chop the carrot, onion and garlic. When the meatballs are ready, nicely browned, transfer them to a plate. Raise the heat to medium-high, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and fry the vegetables for about 5 minutes. Adjust the heat if necessary.
Halve the cherry tomatoes, add them to the vegetables. Also add balsamic vinegar, stir well. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water. Pour tinned chopped tomatoes and 50ml of water to the vegetables, add a handful of basil. Cook for around 5 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the fried meatballs and cook for another 5 minutes.
serve

To serve, mix together spaghetti and meatballs with tomato sauce. Divide the pasta among 4 plates and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and basil.