Nº 03 · Dutch & European · serves 4
Meatballs in Italian Tomato Sauce
Juicy meatballs that simmer gently for hours in a sweet tomato sauce with hidden vegetables: a treat for every child.
Ingredients serves 4
Tick off what you already have at home.
CarniceríaMercadonaLidl
Aisle: carnicería. Ask for 'mitad cerdo, mitad ternera'; pre-packed it is usually called 'picada mixta'.
Any supermarket
Aisle: huevos. Eggs are not refrigerated in Spanish shops; that is normal.
MercadonaLidlEl Corte Inglés
Aisle: quesos. Choose Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano, not cheap grated 'mezcla' cheese.
Any supermarket
Aisle: especias. Often labelled 'hierbas provenzales' or 'especias italianas'.
Any supermarket
Aisle: conservas. Tubes or small tins; freeze leftovers in an ice-cube tray.
Any supermarket
Aisle: frutería. Loose or in nets; purple garlic (ajo morado) is often the most aromatic.
MercadonaLidlMAS
Aisle: aceites. Andalusia is olive oil country: even own-brand oils are good value, often sold by the litre.
Any supermarket
Aisle: agua. Tap water is safe; many locals use bottled water because of the taste.
To serve
Method
- 1
Briefly mix the mince, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan (optional), 1 tsp Italian herbs, salt and pepper. With wet hands, roll into about 20 meatballs.
- 2
Brown the meatballs all over in olive oil. They don't need to be cooked through; the crust adds flavour and helps them hold together.
- 3
Stir the passata, tomato purée, onion, carrot (optional), garlic, oregano and the rest of the herbs together in the slow cooker. Swirl the 100 ml water round the passata carton and add it too.
- 4
Add the meatballs to the sauce and gently spoon it over them. Cook for 4–5 hours on LOW or 2–3 hours on HIGH.
- 5
Cook the spaghetti until al dente, season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste and serve with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan (optional).
Flavourful Cooking · slowcookerspain.com/en/recipes/meatballs-in-italian-tomato-sauce/