Spaghetti with Italian Meatballs

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 500 g minced veal
• 500 g minced Italian sausage (optional)
• 2 slices toast bread, crusts removed, cubed
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup flour

Marinara sauce

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 500 g grated tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp chicken stock powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• Chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 to 1 cup water for a looser sauce

Pasta

• 300 g thin spaghetti

Method

1. Soak the toast in 1/4 cup water for a minute until mushy, add the meat, egg, salt, black pepper and cheese and knead well by hand.
2. Using a 25 ml scoop, take equal portions of meat, roll into balls and coat each in flour.
3. Arrange the balls on perforated parchment in the air fryer, spray with olive oil and cook 30 minutes at 200°C, turning after 20 minutes. Or fry in a deep pan with olive oil until golden brown. Keep the fat released for frying the onion.
4. Set the meatballs aside. In the same fat cook the onion until soft, then the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and black pepper for 5 minutes, then return the meatballs, cover and simmer 40 minutes.
5. Boil the spaghetti in salted water, drain and toss into the same pan, and finish with the basil.