The perfect meatballs to have with a group of friends and a glass of red wine.
This is a big recipe, making approx 35 to 40 meatballs. Serves 6 to 8. Meatballs and sauce can be frozen after cooking. Can also be made as gluten free.
Total time, around 2 hours.
For the meatballs:
Approx 185ml Rice bran oil, or other good vegetable oil
1 red onion, finely diced
100g pine nuts, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
(Tip: prepare the above ingredients first, then prepare the next ingredients while they are cooling)
40g parsley, roughly chopped
5g rosemary, finely chopped
5g basil, finely chopped
1 tbsp fennel seeds
100g breadcrumbs, use gluten free breadcrumbs for gluten free meatballs
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan (if available, use a microplane)
Grated zest of one large lemon
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 large pinches of sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 kg Minced pork (for extra flavour, buy pasture-raised heritage breed pork)
For the sauce:
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
125ml red wine
1 tbsp tomato paste
500g fresh ripe tomatoes, diced
1 x 400g can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon of vegetable or chicken stock powder mixed with 3/4 cup of water
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large bunch basil, leaves picked and roughly torn
Heat around one tablespoon of the oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the onion until soft, then add the pine nuts and garlic. Continue to cook for a few minutes then pour into a large mixing bowl and leave to cool.
Once the mix has cooled completely, add the parsley, rosemary, basil, fennel seeds, breadcrumbs, zest, eggs, salt and pepper. Combine well before adding the pork mince. Use your hands to kneed all of the ingredients together. Tip: fry off a small amount of the mix at this stage to make sure the seasoning is to your liking.
Place a large oven proof dish (with a lid) over a medium high heat with a couple of tablespoons of the oil. While the dish is heating up start rolling meatballs. Try to keep each ball the same size – no bigger than the size of a golf ball.
Gently place some of the meatballs in the dish, adjust the heat (turn down) if you think the meatballs are going to stick. Add as many meatballs as you can, keeping plenty of room to be able to turn them easily. Continue to roll meatballs as each batch is cooking. Lightly brown the meatballs all over, then remove and place on some kitchen towel. Continue to brown the meatballs in batches, adding more oil as needed.
Once all of the meatballs have been lightly browned and removed, add a little more oil if needed and lightly fry the garlic before pouring in the red wine to deglaze the pan.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Add the tomato paste and cook for 10 to 15 seconds before adding the fresh and tinned tomatoes and the stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for a few minutes. Stir through the basil leaves.
Gently add the meatballs to the sauce, pushing them down into the liquid as much as possible. Bring the sauce back up to a simmer before placing the dish into the oven with the lid on for 45 minutes, or until the meatballs are fully cooked.
Serve on spaghetti sprinkled with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan (use gluten free pasta for those that are gluten intolerant).
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