Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 500 g minced/ground beef
  • 1 large onion (peeled and finely chopped)
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tbsp grated parmesan
  • 3 tbsp freshly grated breadcrumbs
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp Bertolli with butter
  • 2 celery sticks (chopped)
  • 2 garlic cloves (peeled and minced)
  • 400 g can chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
  • 1 tsp light brown sugar
  • 600 ml just-boiled water
  • 200 g dried spaghetti or fresh pasta
  • Freshly grated parmesan
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Instruction

  • Place the minced beef, half of the chopped onion, egg, parmesan, breadcrumbs and a good pinch of salt and pepper into a large bowl. Mix everything together using your hands, then form the mixture into 16 meatballs.
  • Heat the Bertolli with butter in a large frying pan (skillet) and add in the meatballs. Cook for 5-6 minutes on a medium-to-high heat, turning two or three times, until the meatballs are browned all over.
  • Add the rest of the onions to the pan, along with the celery and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions start to soften, then add in the can of tomatoes, tomato puree, fresh thyme, brown sugar and the just boiled water. Bring everything back to the boil and add in the pasta (break in half if it’s too big to fit in your pan).
  • Turn the heat down to low, place a lid on and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the pasta is cooked. Add in another splash of boiling water during cooking if required.
  • Season to taste, remove the thyme stalks, then dish out into 4 bowls and top with freshly grated parmesan and chopped parsley.