Recipe: Back to basics spaghetti and meatballs

This brilliant recipe from Donal Skehan is a handy midweek meal that’s guaranteed to keep both kids and adults happy

Ingredients:

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

Method:

• 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.
  

• Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 10-12 minutes. Drain, reserving a good couple of ladles of cooking water.
  

• 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.
  

• 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.
  

• Serve the spaghetti with the meatballs and sauce and scatter with the remaining parsley and some extra parmesan.