25 Pasta with meatballs

Usually I finish work very late so I don’t have time to cook sophisticated dinners. Pasta with meatballs is one of my favourites, even though it takes some time to make the meatballs. But they are so much better than the ones you can get from the supermarket! ^^
It will take probably about an hour to make both, the meatballs and the sauce for the pasta but you can count on your family’s appreciation ;)

INGREDIENTS
for meatballs
fresh rosemary
3 tbsp breadcrumbs
2 teaspoon mustard
500g minced beef
1 egg
salt, pepper
olive oil

for pasta sauce
basil, oregano
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
red pepper (you can use chilli if you like it spicy)
2x400g tinned plum tomatoes
400g spaghetti

HOW TO MAKE?
1. Chop the rosemary leaves after picking them from the stalks. Add the rosemary, breadcrumbs, minced meat, mustard and egg to the mixing bowl . Add a pinch of salt and pepper and mix all the ingredients thoroughly with your hands, until well combined.
2. Pick a little bit of the mixture and roll the meatball in your hand. They can’t be big, remember, you’re gonna use it for pasta. Place them on the wooden board. When the meatballs are done, drizzle them with some olive oil, they should all be covered well.

3. Start making the pasta sauce. Chop the onion and garlic. Chop the plum tomatoes. Slice the chilli into tiny pieces or if you’re using red pepper chop it finely. Heat a large frying pan, and fry the chopped onions with some olive oil. When the onion turns golden, add garlic and chilli into the frying pan and fry for a bit, stirring all the time. Add the tomatoes, some salt and pepper and bring it to a boil.
4. Heat another big frying pan for the meatballs. Fry them with some olive oil for about 10 minutes. You can check if they’re cooked by cutting one open, it shouldn’t be pink inside.
5. When the meatballs are done, add them to the pasta sauce and cook together for about 4-5 minutes.
6. Serve with spaghetti or penne, pouring the sauce on the pasta, with meatballs on top. Sprinkle some basil and freshly grated parmesan cheese.