
Denise says:
- You can never have too many pasta or meat ball recipes and this one should certainly be added to the repertoire. Family friendly, can be made in advance.
- I have used rigatoni pasta which is shaped like a tube and can vary in lengths and diameters.
- It is usually ridged as it comes from the Italian word which means ‘ridged’.
- The sauce gets trapped in the tubes and ridges. It is most common in Southern and Central Italy.
- Preparation Time: 25 minutes
- Cooking Time: 40 minutes
- Serves: 4-6 people
Ingredients:
- 500g minced beef
- 1 onion – peeled and finely chopped
- 50g stoned black olives and roughly chopped -optional
- 50g medium matzo meal
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 red chilli – deseeded and finely chopped
- 2- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper – to taste
- 400g rigatoni pasta or use penne
- Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large onions - peeled and finely chopped
- 2 carrots – peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic – roughly chopped
- 750g tomatoes – roughly chopped or 2x 400g tin tomatoes
- 1 bunch of fresh basil leaves – roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons – caster sugar
- ½ red chilli – de-seeded and finely chopped – optional
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Heat the oven to 200 C/ 400 F/ Gas mark 6.
- To make the meat balls combine all the ingredients together.
- Using wet hands, divide the mixture into small balls about the size of a walnut.
- Place the meat balls on a tray lined with baking parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes.
- For the sauce, heat the oil, fry the onions, garlic, carrots together in a saucepan for about 5 minutes. Then add the tomatoes and chilli if using. Mix together, bring to the boil and simmer with the lid on for about 15 minutes until reduced and thickened.
- Add the sugar, ketchup and basil and season well. Puree or liquidize the sauce and return to the saucepan. Simmer on a low light.
- Remove the meat balls from the oven tray and transfer to the sauce.
- Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
- Drain the pasta and return to the saucepan and pour over the meatballs and sauce.
- To serve the stylish way: Dust the plate with smoked paprika and garnish with sprigs of basil.
Tagged in: American, dinner, Family, Family dinner, Italian, mince meat, minced beef, onion, Pasta, Tomatoes