NEXT LEVEL SPAGHETTI & MEATBALLS

Next level spaghetti & meatballs image

Make the ultimate meatballs in a rich tomato sauce to serve over spaghetti. Comfort food at its best, this will prove a hit at the family dinner table

Provided by Barney Desmazery

Time 1h15m

Number Of Ingredients 19

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Ingredients

400g beef mince
400g pork mince
100g ciabatta, sourdough or other white bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces
100ml milk
6 garlic cloves, very finely chopped or grated
large handful parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp dried oregano
grating of nutmeg
½ tsp Marmite
50g grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
150g mozzarella or fontina, chopped into 18 pieces
4 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
pinch of golden caster sugar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
splash of red wine (optional)
3 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
500g spaghetti, to serve

Steps:

Tip the beef and pork into a large bowl. Mix and season generously with salt. Set aside for at least 30 mins, or for up to 1 hr. Meanwhile, put the bread in a bowl with the milk and leave to soak.
Tip the soaked bread into the bowl with the meat and add all the remaining meatball ingredients except for the mozzarella. Season with plenty of pepper, then scrunch the mixture together with your hands until combined.
Roughly divide the meatball mixture into 18 portions. Use your hands to flatten one portion, then gently wrap it around a piece of the mozzarella and roll into a ball. Repeat with the remaining portions. Chill the meatballs in the fridge for 1 hr before cooking. Can be prepared up to two days ahead and stored in the fridge.
Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan or casserole dish. Fry the meatballs in batches, browning them on all sides, then transfer to a plate and set aside. Pour the remaining oil into the pan and heat for 1 min, then fry the sliced garlic for a few seconds. Tip in the sugar, vinegar and wine (if using) and bubble for 1 min. Add the tomatoes, then season and cook over a medium heat for 10 mins. Tip in the meatballs and gently stir to ensure they're fully coated in the sauce. Cover the pan and simmer on a low heat for about 20 mins, spooning the sauce over the meatballs occasionally.
Remove the pan from the heat and set aside, then cook the spaghetti. To serve, divide the spaghetti between bowls, top with three warm meatballs each, spoon over the sauce and scatter with the remaining parmesan.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 528 calories, Fat 32 grams fat, SaturatedFat 14 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 17 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 9 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 40 grams protein, Sodium 0.9 milligram of sodium