Spaghetti and Meatballs

Method

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1. Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk for 5 minutes, then mash to a paste.

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2. Mix the paste with both minces, the egg, Parmesan, two thirds of the garlic, the parsley, salt and pepper. Do not overwork it.

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3. Roll into 20 balls and refrigerate 15 minutes.

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4. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a wide pan and brown the meatballs in two batches, 4 minutes a batch, turning. Lift out.

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5. Add the remaining oil and the onion and cook 6 minutes.

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6. Stir in the remaining garlic and the tomato purée and cook 1 minute.

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7. Add the tomatoes, oregano and sugar and simmer 10 minutes.

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8. Return the meatballs, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, turning once.

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9. Boil the spaghetti in well-salted water until al dente and drain.

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10. Serve the meatballs and sauce over the spaghetti with basil torn over and Parmesan at the table.

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Chef’s Tips

• A milk-soaked panade, always.
• Handle the mixture as little as possible.
• Brown for colour, then finish in the sauce.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairing Suggestions

• Garlic bread
• A green salad
• Chianti

Storage & Reheating

Meatballs in sauce keep 3 days refrigerated and freeze 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.