※ Spaghetti & Meatballs

Recipe by: Chef: Gary Mehigan, photo by me.

Ingredients:

• 1 small carrot, finely grated
• 30 g unsalted butter
• 100 ml water
• 400 g minced veal
• 400 g minced pork
• 100 g fresh breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
• table salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 x 400 g tins chopped tomato
• 100 ml Chicken Stock
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 320 g spaghetti
• grated pecorino, to serve

Method

Serves 4

1. Cook the carrot, butter and water in a covered saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the carrot is soft (cooking under a tight-fitting lid help the carrot to cook quickly). Puree in a small food processor, then set aside to cool.

2. Mix the minced veal and pork, breadcrumbs, carrot puree and parsely (if using) in a large bowl. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and a little pepper and mould into 2cm meatballs; you should have 24 meatballs. Set aside.

3. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 165°C.

4. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof non-stick saucepan or enamelled cast-iron casserole. Brown the meatballs over high heat until golden on all sides, then remove and set aside. Fry the onion and garlic for 1 minute or until translucent and soft, then add the tomato paste, tomato and stock. Return the meatballs to the pan then add the thyme, bay leaves and a little salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then cover. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes, gently stirring occasionally.

5. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti follwing packet instructions in a saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain. Serve the meatballs with the spaghetti and planty of grated pecorino.

The spagetti I absolutley love is Martelli Spaghetti, once you have had it it is really hard to have any other brand. At around $15 a pack which should feed around 6 it is well worth it.

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The Martelli family has produced their artisan pasta since 1926 in the medieval town of Lair, near Pisa, in Tuscany. With simple techniques passed down from one generation to the next this pasta is made utilizing first grade durum wheat flour grown on the family property. The wheat flour is kneaded with cold water, cut with bronze dies and let air dry for 50 hours. This long drying process gives the pasta a rough texture perfect for catching pasta sauces.

Spaghetti: If pasta had a King, it would be spaghetti. This spaghetti is made in the traditional way, and arguably regarded as one of the best available on the market today. (source)