Classic spaghetti and meatballs recipe

Serves: 4 (makes 25-30 meatballs)

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the sauce:

2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced into half moons
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp fine salt
1 tbsp tomato paste
Pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste
2 fat garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsps dried oregano (or marjoram)
Pinch of caster sugar
2 x 400g cans peeled plum tomatoes
200ml chicken stock

For the meatballs:

500g minced beef
500g minced pork
1 large egg
½ tsp fine salt
75g breadcrumbs
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed to a powder

To serve

Spaghetti or linguine
Parmesan
Roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method

Step 1: First, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole over a medium heat.

When warm, add the onion, pepper, salt, tomato paste and cayenne and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the oregano, sugar, tomatoes (breaking them up with a wooden spoon as you go), and stock, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes, then remove from the heat.

Step 2: Meanwhile, make the meatballs. preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7. Grease a baking tray or line with foil. Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and mix together using your hands. Roll the mixture into around 25 to 30 golf ball-sized spheres. Place the meatballs on the tray and roast in the oven for 7 minutes, turning the meatballs once, then cook for another 7 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Step 3: Once the sauce has cooled, blitz until smooth using a blender. Add the sauce back to its casserole and add the meatballs. Poach gently for 5 minutes, keeping the lid on (or use foil to cover).

Step 4: Cook spaghetti or linguine in a pan of salted water until al dente, then serve, topped with the meatballs and tomato sauce and finish with freshly grated parmesan and fresh parsley.

Recipe from Black Sea by Caroline Eden (£25, Quadrille), out now.

Comforting and classic: Spaghetti and meatballs recipe