Linguine with Garlic and Oregano Meatballs.

A fresh vegetable sauce contrasted with rich garlicy meatballs and a sprinkling of parmesan. 

Ingredients for the sauce:

• One red pepper, sliced
• One carrot, chopped in to quarters
• One onion, chopped
• Two garlic cloves, sliced
• 5-6 button mushrooms, sliced
• 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• Ketchup
• Red pesto
• Dried oregano
• Dried thyme
• 2 tsp sugar
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Lemon juice
• Lignuine

Ingredients for the meatballs:

• 150g ground beef
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• One egg
• Dried oregano

Method:

• In a large pan, fry the onion and garlic on a low heat until soft and picking up some color.
• Add the rest of the veg, and cook until almost soft.
• Add the tinned tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper, and herbs, stir, and leave to simmer gently for 5-10 minutes.
• Taste the sauce, and add the appropriate amounts of ketchup, pesto and lemon juice as needed. Add more pepper/salt/ herbs if needed too.
• In a bowl, mix the meat with a generous amount of oregano, the garlic cloves, and one egg, and form in to meat balls.
• Fill a pan with boiling water and add the linguine
• In a hot frying pan of medium-heat, add one tsp of olive oil, and fry the meat balls on all sides untill the meat is cooked and they are golden brown.
• If the linguine cooks before the meatballs are ready, take it off the heat, but keep in in the water until everything is ready.
• When everything is cooked, drain the pasta and transfer to plate. Add the sauce and then the meat balls
• I recommend a side of rocket, spinach and basil leaves, and a sprinkling of parmesan.