Meatballs are always a favourite and these spicy pork meatballs are cooked in a chilli tomato sauce.
4 servings
- Preparation time: about 30 minutes
- Standing time: 30 minutes
- Cooking time: 50–55 minutes
- Ingredients
- 450 g 1 lb minced/ground pork
- 85 g 3 oz fresh white breadcrumbs (1¾ cups)
- 1 egg medium (U.K.)/large (N.A.), beaten
- 1 lemon zest only
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tbsp fresh sage chopped
- 2 pinches crushed dried chillies
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 x 400g tin or ½ × 796 ml can chopped/diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato purée/paste
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon or 1 × organic stock cube, mixed in 300ml (10 fl oz) (⅔ cup) boiling water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 200 g 7 oz spaghetti
- ½ a small Savoy cabbage finely shredded (or other green leafed vegetable finely shredded*).
- *Savoy cabbage in Canada can be very pale and so I prefer to use something like kale. The dark green colour works well with the spaghetti although it does sound an unusual combination.
- You will also need a large lidded frying pan/skillet.
- Method
- In a large bowl mix together the pork, breadcrumbs, beaten egg, lemon zest, finely chopped onion, half the garlic and half the sage, a pinch of the crushed chillies, and plenty of seasoning. Once everything is well mixed in, shape into 30 meatballs. Then refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Heat half the oil in the frying pan/skillet and add the meatballs. Brown over a medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally to brown all sides. This may need to be done in two batches. Remove and set aside.
- Now add the remaining oil to the pan, reduce the heat, and add the chopped onions. Cook gently for 5 minutes until they have softened. Then add the remaining garlic and sage and cook for a further minute. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato purée/paste, stock, sugar, a pinch of crushed chillies, and season. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer for 5–10 minutes until the sauce has reduced a little.
- Return the meatballs to the pan, then gently simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, turning them halfway through.
- Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted, boiling water, adding the cabbage or other green vegetable for the last 4 minutes of cooking. Drain.
- Serve the spaghetti alongside the meatballs and sauce.
Updated: May 8, 2018
