Spaghetti and Meatballs
The classic family favourite dish spaghetti and meatballs is a must have recipe for every household. This is my recipe for moist and flavoursome meatballs.
Servings: 5
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 4 slices white bread
- ½ cup milk
- 500 g beef mince
- 500 g pork mince
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 carrot grated
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- small punch parsley finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the pasta sauce
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 carrot finely diced
- 1 stick celery finely diced
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 2 400g cans crushed tomatoes
- 600 g jar passata
- small bunch fresh parsley finely chopped
- small handful fresh basil leaves
- 2 tsp oregano dried is fine
- 500 g spaghetti
- parmesan cheese grated to serve
Instructions
For the Meatballs
- Place bread and milk in a small bowl and leave to soak for 5 minutes.
- Remove bread from milk and squeeze out excess liquid. Break up into small pieces and add to a large bowl along with remaining ingredients. Using clean hands mix together until well combined.
- Using damp hands roll into balls around the size of golf balls and place on a lined tray. place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to firm up.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large fry pan on medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs in batches for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden all over. place on a tray with paper towl to soak up excess oil.
For the pasta sauce
- Meanwhile in a medium, heavy based pot cook the onion for 2-3 minutes or until soft.
- Add garlic, carrot, celery and bay leaves and cook for further 5 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, passata, parsley, basil and oregano. Reduce heat to low and season to perfection.
For the meatballs
- Gently drop the meatballs into the sauce and simmer gently for 25 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. Remove meatballs from sauce and keep warm.
- Cook Spaghetti in salted, boiling water according to packet instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water and then return the spaghetti back to the pot. Add 3-4 ladels of the sauce to the spaghetti along with two tablespoons of olive oil and a good splash of the reserved cooking water. Mix through until the spaghetti is evenly coated.
- To serve, divide the spaghetti amongst serving bowls and top with a few meatballs and serve with grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
Have you made this recipe? Don't forget to tag me @mrsfoodiemumma and use the hashtag #mrsfoodiemumma