🍝 Spaghetti & Meatballs 🍝

 

Processed with MOLDIV

Processed with MOLDIV

Processed with MOLDIV

Processed with MOLDIV

Processed with MOLDIV

  We all love a great bowl of spaghetti bolognese, don’t we?  Here is a very simple recipe, packed with deliciousness.

INGREDIENTS MEATBALLS:

• 1kg mince meat
• 2-3 jumbo free range eggs
• half a cup cornflake crumbs
• 80gr grated parmesan cheese
• 1 heaped teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 onions, chopped finely
• 1 teaspoon garlic, crushed or fresh
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• salt & peper
• flour

SAUCE:

• olive oil/ coconut oil or good quality cooking oil
• 1 large onion chopped finely
• 1 teaspoon garlic, crushed or fresh
• 2 cans chopped tomatoes with its sauce
• 1 cup water with 1 chicken stock cube
• 1 cup wine, red or white
• 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
• 4 tablespoons tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons chutney
• salt & pepper

METHOD:

1. Mix in all the meatball ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, have about half a cup of flour ready to dust your hands.
3. Scoop out the mince mixture with a tablespoon and roll in your hands.  They should be about the size of golf balls.
4. Once you’ve made the balls, leave them aside while your start with the sauce.
5. For the sauce, sauté your onion and garlic until translucent in the oil of your choice.  (Use a large pot)
6. Now add the rest of the ingredients and allow to slowly boil for about 30 min if you’re using wine.  If you’re not, add more water instead of wine.
7. Now turn down the heat to low and add in the meatballs.  Allow to cook for another 15 min.  Check one if you’re unsure if they’re cooked through.
8. Serve with spaghetti, fresh basil and feta cheese.

TIPS:

If you’re using lean mince, you’ll need more eggs to bind it together, depending on the size of the eggs.  With 1kg lean mince, 3 jumbo eggs worked well.

Cornflake crumbs, ready packaged can cost a lot more than it should.  I buy a large bag of cornflakes and crush the amount needed.

If the sauce appears too watery, reduce it before adding the meatballs.  You don’t want to dry out the mince.

This recipe makes a whole bunch of meatballs, so best start with halving the recipe or just do what I do.  Freeze half and just reheat them for a meatball sandwich.

MuchLuv, BeBlessed

Sandy Nouwens

🍝Spaghetti bolognese🍝

There are MANY different bolognese sauce recipes.   I think it’s due to the fact people whip it up with what they have in the kitchen, because it’s such an “easy” thing to do.  But, there are some things you need to buy and make sure you have if you want a really tasty spag-bol!

This is my version. And yes, I’m also guilty of adding ingredients depending on what I have in my pantry cupboard, but I always make sure I have the key ingredients before making it.

Avoid using packet sauces, unless you’re short for time.  The secret flavour of this recipe lies in the onion and tomatoes, and once you’ve tasted it this way, you won’t need those shop packet sauces full of sugars, preservatives and who knows what else.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large onions, cut in thick slices
• 1 packet ripe tomatoes, halved
• oregano
• italian herbs
• salt and pepper
• 500 gr lean mince meat, high quality
• olive oil and coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 2 cups white wine
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 cube chicken stock pot
• ±3 tablespoons tomato sauce
• grated parmesan cheese
• fresh basil
• flat leaf parsley (optional)
• pasta

METHOD:

1. Place your halved tomatoes and sliced onions in an oven proof dish, sprinkle a generous amount of dried oregano and italian herbs, salt and pepper and roast (180degC)  in the oven until the onions are soft and it all has a slightly golden brown edge.  Once done, remove from the oven and allow to cool.  (Switch off the oven)
2. Once the onion and tomato mix is cool, place it into a blender and blend smooth.  This will be the foundation flavour to your bolognese sauce.
3. In a large pot, brown your mince with the garlic and season with salt and pepper.  Once browned, add the onion and tomato mixture.
4. On a low to medium heat, start adding the white wine, the chicken stock (no water needed if it’s the jelly version), tomato sauce, about 2 heaped teaspoons of italian herbs and another 2 teaspoons of oregano.  Slowly stir together and taste.  Add more salt and pepper if needed.
5. After about 10 minutes of cooking, I like to add the cup of red wine.  At this point, I like to add about a handful of roughly chopped basil leaves into the pot.  You could add parsley instead of basil, as long as it’s flat leaf.
6. Drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil, for a richer flavour.
7. Let the  bolognese sauce cook for about 40min.  If it seems to thick, add some water until you feel the consistency is right.
8. Cook the pasta as per instructions, but always keep the strained pasta water.  Pour about a ladle full of the starch water over the strained pasta.  This is important to keep the pasta glossy, loose and tasty.  (I also cook v            vcgluten-free pasta on the side for myself.)
9. Place cooked pasta in a bowl and top with the delicious bolognese sauce.
10. Top off with parmesan and fresh basil leaves and pepper.
11. Serve with knife, fork and a spoon!  Most importantly…. enjoy!

                  TIPS:

For an extra sweetness, you can add about 3 tablespoons of chutney.

Save this recipe for the mince layers of a lasagna.

If you’ve made too much tomato and onion sauce, pour some into a jar, refrigerate and use it as a sauce for homemade pizza bases.

Gluten-free pastas need more salt when cooking.

♠

MuchBologneseLuv

Sandy Nouwens