Ingredients
- For the tomato sauce:
- 2 cans plum tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 10-15 basil leaves
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- Salt
- For the meatballs:
- 1kg pork mince
- 1 slice of stale white bread, crusts removed and torn into small pieces
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper
- To serve:
- Harissa or chilli sauce
- Yoghurt or sour cream
1 To make the sauce, heat the olive oil and garlic together in a wide saucepan. Gently brown the garlic, then add the tomatoes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon.
2 Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until thick. Season with salt.
3 For the meatballs, soak the bread in milk for 10 minutes then squeeze out the excess liquid and add to a bowl with the pork mince.
4 Add the garlic, chilli flakes, fennel seeds, parsley, salt and pepper, and mix well.
5 Roll the mixture into golf-ball-sized balls, place them on a baking tray and bake at 200 degrees Celsius, or equivalent, until golden brown.
6 Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce and cook gently on the hob for 10-15 minutes until the meatballs are tender.
7 Taste for seasoning and serve with some harissa, or fermented chilli sauce and yoghurt or sour cream.
