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Donal Skehan
Back to Basics Meatballs | DonalSkehan.com
  • family

Back to Basics Meatballs

June 21

As a father of two, it’s a dish that I know the kids love and an easy win for a midweek meal.

  • serves Serves 6
  • time 45mins

Method

  1. 1. In a bowl, mix together the mince, bacon, crushed garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, parmesan and half the parsley. Season well and then shape into 28 small meatballs.
  2. 2. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 10-12 minutes. Drain, reserving a good couple of ladles of cooking water.
  3. 3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium high heat and brown the meatballs all over and remove to a plate. Add the onion to the pan and cook gently for 5 minutes then add the sliced garlic and cook for a minute more.
  4. 4. Add the passata and season well and bubble for 5 minutes then add back in the meatballs and cook for 15 minutes adding in some of the cooking water and the vinegar for the final 5 minutes.
  5. 5. Serve the spaghetti with the meatballs and sauce and scatter with the remaining parsley and some extra parmesan.

Ingredients

17oz beef mince

3.5oz streaky bacon, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, 2 crushed, 2 finely chopped

large handful fresh white breadcrumbs

1 medium free range egg

large handful parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve

handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

17oz pack spaghetti

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

24oz jar passata 

1 tsp red wine vinegar

Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

500g beef mince

100g streaky bacon, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, 2 crushed, 2 finely chopped

40g fresh white breadcrumbs

1 medium free range egg

40g parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve

30g flat leaf parsley, chopped

500g pack spaghetti

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

680g jar passata 

1 tsp red wine vinegar

Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

You'll Need

Bowl

Pot

Frying pan

 

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