Jamie Oliver's pasta meatballs.
Very flavorful and juicy meatballs in a very aromatic sauce. The perfect dish for Sunday lunch for the whole family.
Composition:
- dry spaghetti or other types of pasta - 400 gr .
- grated parmesan
meatballs:
- fresh rosemary - 4 sprigs
- Creamy or saltine crackers - 50g .
- dijon mustard - 2 tsp. with a slide
- beef and pork meat - 500 gr.
- dry oregano - 1 tbsp. with a slide
- large egg - 1 pc.
- salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- olive oil
Sauce:
- fresh basil - a bunch
- onion - 1 medium sized onion
- garlic - 2 cloves
- fresh or dried red chili pepper - 0,5 pcs.
- tomatoes in their own juice (chopped) - 800 gr.
- balsamic vinegar - 2 tbsp.
Cooking:
Grind pork and beef in equal proportions in a meat grinder.
Pork and beef in equal proportions.
Trim the leaves from the rosemary and chop finely.
Wrap the crackers in a towel, crumble into crumbs, and crush the remaining large pieces with your hands.
Place the mince, crumbs, mustard, rosemary and oregano in a bowl. Crack an egg into the bowl, and add a big pinch of salt and pepper.
Add a little salt and pepper.
Stir the mince with your hands until it becomes a homogeneous mass.
Divide the mince into 4 equal portions and then each of the portions into 6 equal portions. Wet your hands with water and roll the meatballs into small meatballs - you should have 24 pieces. Brush the meatballs on all sides with olive oil. Transfer the meatballs to an oiled board and put them in the fridge until you cook them.
Trim the leaves from the basil, set the small ones aside. Peel the onion and garlic and chop finely. Remove the seeds from the chili peppers and thinly slice them.
All the chili peppers should be finely chopped.
Boil a pot of salted water.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and pour some olive oil into it. Pour in the onion and fry, stirring, for 7 minutes until lightly browned. Put in the garlic and chili.
Once the veggies start to brown, add the large basil leaves. Pour in the tomatoes in their own juice and the vinegar.
Bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
While the sauce is cooking, heat another large skillet with olive oil and place the meatballs in it.
Cook them, stirring, for 8-10 minutes, until fully cooked.
Break one of the meatballs open - there shouldn't be a trace of raw pink meat inside.
Transfer the meatballs to the pan with the sauce and simmer until the pasta is done, then remove from heat.
Lower the spaghetti into boiling water and cook according to the instructions on the package.
Discard the spaghetti in a colander, saving some of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot, drizzle with half of the tomato sauce and add 1-2 spoons of the saved water.
Add 1 to 2 spoons of the saved water.
Serve on a large platter or in serving plates, placing the remaining sauce and meatballs on top. Sprinkle with small basil leaves and grated Parmesan.
Enjoy!
