Bucatini & Meatballs

Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Makes: 16 meatballs / Serves 4 | Nutrition: 684 calories per serving

For the meatballs (makes 16)

You can freeze half the meatballs before cooking if you prefer and halve the pasta quantity for two people

• 200g beef mince
• 200g pork mince
• 35g breadcrumbs (soak in a little milk if particulalry coarse)
• 1tsp oregano
• 1tsp fennel seeds, coarsely crushed in a pestle and mortar (optional)
• 20g Parmesan, grated
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Salt and pepper

For the sauce

• ½ white onion, finely sliced
• Garlic clove, finely chopped
• ¼tsp Chilli flakes (optional)
• 400g Garofalo chopped tomatoes
• Olive Oil

For the pasta

• 360g Garofalo Bucatini Pasta - Garofalo Pasta is widely available on Ocado and Amazon

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees
2. In a bowl, add your mince, breadcrumbs, herbs, parmesan and salt and pepper. Lightly mix everything together using a fork or your hands.
3. Then add your beaten egg and mix together again.
4. With wet hands (or a little olive oil), roll the meatballs into medium sized balls (golf ball size) and place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
5. The mixture should make approximately 16 meatballs so either cook them all or freeze half to use another time.
6. Place the meatballs in the oven, on a middle shelf for 20 minutes. You don’t need to turn them.
7. While the meatballs are cooking make your sauce, add a good glug of extra virgin olive oil to the pan (at least 2tbsps), add your onion, season with a little salt and cook on a low heat for five minutes.
8. Then add your garlic and chilli flakes (if adding) and cook for a minute moving around the pan with a spoon before adding the tomatoes. Don’t forget to rinse the can with a little water and add to your sauce. If you have some parmesan rind in the fridge add this now too.
9. Leave to simmer on a low heat while the meatballs cook, stirring occasionally.
10. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, season with salt.
11. Once the meatballs are ready, add the meatballs to the sauce and gently coat in the sauce. Leave on a low heat, stirring occasionally (add a splash of pasta water if it starts to dry up too much).
12. Once you’ve added the meatballs cook your pasta until al dente.
13. If the sauce looks ready, it should be nice and thick and clinging to the meatballs turn the heat off for the last 5 minutes while the pasta cooks and cover with a lid.
14. Once the pasta is ready, for ease, I choose to remove the meatballs from the pan and place in a bowl while I coat the pasta in the sauce (don’t forget to remove the parmesan rind if you added it too!). Add the pasta to the pan and mix together so the pasta is coated in the lovely sauce.
15. Serve the pasta into bowls, top with the meatballs and any excess sauce, and serve with grated parmesan.