Sicilian-style Meatballs

Never having been to Sicily, or even to a Sicilian restaurant, this is a bit of a silly name.  But if Sainsbury’s can get away with it, so can I.  By the way, this recipe makes enough meatballs for about eight people, so it’s a good eat-half-freeze-the-rest recipe.

Skoosh up a small onion with two cloves of garlic in a mini-processor.  Put into a bowl with a teaspoon of salt and a coffee spoon of thyme as well as 500g lean steak mince and 400g sausagemeat (I used the meat from Sainsbury’s Sicilian-style sausages, hence the silly title).  Add a sliced chilli if you want them spicy.  Mix it all up with your hands before forming into 20 – 30 small balls.

Now finely slice two onions and a clove of garlic.  Fry them in olive oil until soft, then add two tins of chopped tomatoes and a tin of water.  Put in two teaspoons of dried basil and a teaspoon of paprika and start to simmer.

Now fry your meatballs in oil in a separate frying pan, about eight at a time, adding each batch to the simmering tomatoes.  When they are all done, pop the lid on and simmer for 45-60 minutes.

Sprinkle with basil and serve with spaghetti.

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