Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
1 hour
Serves
Serves 6
By Jamie Oliver
From Saturday Kitchen
- 600g dried pappardelle or tagliatelle
- 1 handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and 1 handful for the meatballs
- 3 cloves of garlic for the meatballs and 2–3 cloves of garlic for the tomato sauce
- 450g quality lean minced beef for the meatballs
- 1–2 dried red chillies and 1 fresh chilli for the tomato sauce for the meatballs
- 1 pinch of ground cinnamon for the meatballs
- 1 whole nutmeg, for grating for the meatballs
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper for the meatballs
- 1 large free-range egg for the meatballs
- 1 bunch of fresh basil, for the tomato sauce
- 1 lemon for the meatballs
- olive oil for the tomato sauce
- 2 x 400g tins whole tomatoes for the tomato sauce
- red wine vinegar for the tomato sauce
Method
- To make your meatballs, peel and finely chop the garlic and add to a bowl with the beef. Crumble in the dried chillies, add the cinnamon, grate in half the nutmeg and crack in the egg. Add the parmesan, the zest of the lemon and add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper
- Mix and scrunch together really well, then shape into marble-sized balls. Run your hands under cold water every now and then – it will help to make the meatballs dense and hold their shape. Place them on a tray, cover with cling-film and put in the fridge to firm up while you make your tomato sauce
- Peel and finely chop the garlic, and pick the basil leaves, finely chopping the stalks. Heat a lug of oil in a medium pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and basil stalks, then prick and add the whole chilli and fry for a few minutes
- Pour in the tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon, then add a splash of red wine vinegar. Season to perfection, then simmer gently for 30 minutes
- Meanwhile, heat a splash of oil in a frying pan, add the meatballs and cook until nicely browned, adding them to the sauce as and when ready
- Remove the chilli, check and correct the seasoning, then continue to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until thickened and reduced
- Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Drain in a colander, reserving a little of the cooking water, then toss the pasta into the meatball sauce
- Stir through the parmesan and tear over half the basil leaves, then toss together, adding a splash of cooking water to loosen, if needed. Serve immediately scattered with the remaining basil leaves and an extra grating of parmesan