Ingredients

• For the meatballs

• Olive oil for cooking

• 500 gm. minced pork (use other meats if you do not eat pork). You could even make balls from any tinned or fresh fish.

• 2 slices of white bread, blitzed into bread crumbs

• 1 tsp. dried oregano

• 1 tsp. onion granules

• 1 tsp. garlic granules

• 1 tsp. dried mint

• 1 tsp. sea salt

• 1 tsp. black pepper

• 1 large handful chopped fresh parsley

• 1/4 tsp. fenugreek powder

• For the Tomato Sauce

• Olive oil for cooking

• 2 medium onions sliced/diced

• 3 courgettes cut in half lengthways and then sliced into half discs

• 3 stalks of celery finely chopped

• 200 gm. cherry tomatoes (use normal cut up if making for children*)

• 700 gm. jar of pasatta (tomato sauce/juice)

• 2 tsp. dried oregano

• 2 tsp. garlic purée

• 1 tsp. black pepper

• 1 tsp. sea salt

• Hot water (one passata jar full)

• 1 large handful of fresh basil leaves chopped

Instructions

1. Meatballs

2. Make bread crumbs out of 2 slices of white bread (I blitz it in my small food grinder/processor).

3. Add this to the mince pork, mix well with all the rest of the herbs and spices.

4. Roll into about 1 inch balls.

5. Fry in olive oil, in a medium to hot frying pan. Cook until nicely browned on all side, then lift off, drain and put to one side.

6. Tomato sauce

7. Brown the onions in the olive oil.

8. Add the courgettes and celery, allow to soften.

9. Add the herbs and spices, mix.

10. Add the tomatoes (*cherry tomatoes explode in the mouth when eating, so cut open in halves, if making for children).

11. Stir in well, allowing the herbs and spice to coat in the oil.

12. Pour in the passata tomato puree and mix it in.

13. Fill the empty passata with hot water, to get all the last bits out, and add that as well.

14. Add a good handful of chopped basil, mix in and cook for about 5 minutes.

15. Braising

16. Place the meatballs in a large roasting tray and cover with the tomato sauce.

17. Put in a medium hot oven heated to about 150? C/300? F or Gas mark 2-3, for about 30-60 minutes.

18. Keep checking that isn't drying up. Add a little extra water, if needed.

19. Once nicely cooked through and the sauce thickened a little, serve with pasta of your choice.

20. You can garnish it with a little finely grated cheese of choice. Parmesan is good!