Spaghetti & Meatballs

Super simple recipe for a midweek pasta meal.  Give this classic a lift with a lighter tomato sauce (natural from fresh tomatoes) and lots of basil herbs.

Note: For this dish, i used Tagliatelle pasta instead of the usual spaghetti strands

Ingredients:

4 garlic cloves

olove oil

cherry tomatoes

500 grams minced beef

2 eggs, beaten

2 handful of pine nuts, toasted

4 tbsp chopped parsley

5 tbsp grated parmesan

50 grams stale breadm soaked in warm water

1 kg spaghetti

1.  Gently saute the sliced garlic in a lage pan with a drizzle of olive oil.  Once the garlic starts to color, add the tomatoes, season well and leave the sauce to simmer.

2.  Meanwhile, combine the minced beef, crushed garlic, eggs, pine nuts, parsley and and parmesan in a bowl.  Squezze the water out of the bread and break the bread into the bowl.  Season and mix well, using your hands, then wet your hands and roll the mixture into portions the size of golf balls.

3.  Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.  When the oil is very hot, carefully add the meatballs and cook in batches for about 6-8 minutes, gently moving them so they brown all over.  Once browned and cooked through, transfer the meat balls to the tomato sauce and leave to simmer.

4.  Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water.  Drain them and add the pasta to the meatballs and  sauce.  Mix well and sprinkle with extra parmesan and fresh basil leaves before serving.

Recipe by Georgia Levy of Jamie Oliver Food Magazine