Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

This is a great recipe as it tastes great and requires very little effort.

You will need:-

• 2 onions (finely chopped)
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes or 1 carton of passata
• 1 40g tin of tomato puree
• 1 large (800g) tin of tomato soup
• 500g of minced beef
• 1 tablespoon of dried basil
• 1 table spoon of dried mixed herbs
• 1 glass of red wine (optional)
• half a dozen fresh tomatos (optional)
• 1 whisked egg (optional)

First make the meatballs.  Put the mince into a mixing bowl and add the mixed herbs and one of the onions (chop it as finely as you can first).  Roll up your sleeves and get both hands into the bowl and give it a good mix. If you are bothered about the meatballs breaking up you can mix a whisked egg into the mixture but there is really no need.

Start making the meatballs now by tearing off a meatball sized chunk and rolling it in your hands.

Fry the meatballs for a few minutes to brown them.  Now place the meatballs to one side.  If you are in a rush you can get away without browning them, they taste just as good.

Add the remaining ingredients to a casserole dish with a lid and give them a good mix.  If you are using fresh tomatos you will need to remove the skins before chopping them.  To remove the skins just add the tomatoes to boiling water and simmer for a few minutes.  Take them out of the water and allow them to cool, then slip off their skins, chop them and add to the pot.

Add the meatballs to the cooking pot making sure that the sauce covers over the top of the meatballs.

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4, 350 degrees F (180 deg C).

Put a lid on the pot and cook for one hour.

The great thing about this dish is that it will stand cooking for longer, so if your guests are late just turn the oven down to gas mark 1, 275 F (140 C).

Another cooking option is to slow cook this dish.  You can either use a slow cooker or oven cook at gas mark 1, 275 F (140 C).  It needs at least 6 hours at a lower temperature to allow the flavours to infuse.  However, you can cook it for longer.

Serve with spaghetti or pasta.

YUM!