Meatballs with Tomato & Basil Sauce

INGREDIENTS

For the Meatballs

• 1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely grated
• 400g ground beef
• 400g ground pork
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

For the Sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 stock cube/pot
• 1 x brown onion
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp sugar
• Small bunch roughly basil leaves

METHOD

For the Meatballs

1. Preheat an oven to 220 degrees C.
2. Cover a baking tray/oven dish with a light coating of oil. 
3. Soak bread crumbs in milk in a small bowl for 20 minutes.
4. Mix beef and pork together in a large bowl. Stir onions, bread crumb mixture, eggs, parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, Italian herb seasoning, and Parmesan cheese into meat mixture until combined. 
5. Using wet hands, form meat mixture into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
6. Heat olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Brown off the meatballs before adding to prepared baking tray. 
7. Bake in the preheated oven until browned and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes.

The sauce

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and garlic, then gently fry for 1 min.
2. Tip in all the other ingredients, except the basil, then bring to the boil.
3. Reduce the heat, then simmer uncovered for 5 mins, stirring occasionally.
4. To finish, add the roughly chopped basil leaves, then stir into the sauce.

Serve both together, topped with parmesan cheese, cracked black pepper & garlic bread.

Enjoy!

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