Ultimate Spaghetti and Meatballs

Instructions

1. Blitz the tinned tomatoes in a food processor for a few seconds, set aside
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat and sauté the onion until soft
3. Add purée tomatoes and all other tomato sauce ingredients, bring to a boil, then simmer for half an hour until all the flavours develop
4. In a mixing bowl, add minced beef, garlic, egg, parsley, 30g of grated parmesan cheese, panko breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper, and mix well with your hands
5. Roll mixture into large size meatballs, about 4cm in size
6. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, often turning until they are nicely browned all over. Don’t worry if they are not fully cooked on the inside. You want to get a nice deep coloured crust
7. Add the browned meatballs to the tomato sauce and continue to simmer the sauce for another half an hour to cook the meatballs fully and for all the flavours to develop into the sauce
8. Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions with plenty of salt and olive oil in the cooking water
9. Drain spaghetti but reserve a good few cups of the cooking water
10. Put drained spaghetti back in the same pan and add the tomato sauce and meatballs; mix until all combined
11. Taste the sauce and adjust salt, pepper, and chilli flakes to your liking
12. Serve in bowls sprinkled with more grated parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, some freshly ground black pepper, and chilli flakes
13. If you don’t serve immediately and want to re-heat, then add some of the pasta cooking liquid to bring the sauce back to the right consistency