Spaghetti & meatballs

• 40gPanko breadcrumbs
• 4 tbspSemi-skimmed milk
• 1Brown onion
• 3 clovesGarlic, crushed
• 40gItalian-style hard cheese, finely grated
• 500gBeef mince
• 1Egg
• 1 tspDried oregano
• 2 tbspOlive oil
• 1 tbspTomato purée
• 500gPassata
• 1 tinChopped tomatoes
• 30gFresh basil
• 400gSpaghetti

Plus salt, pepper and water.

Method

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan). Stir the panko into the milk in a large bowl and leave it to soak. Meanwhile, finely chop the onion, crush the garlic and finely grate the cheese.

2. 2

   Add the mince, egg, oregano, a third of the garlic, half the cheese, 1 tsp salt and plenty of pepper to the soaked crumbs. Mix with your hands until just combined, then roll into about 20 balls the size of a walnut and set them on a lined baking tray.

3. 3

   Bake for 15 minutes, until browned on top. They finish cooking in the sauce.

   15 min, mostly hands-off

4. 4

   Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, wide pan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 8 minutes, until soft. Stir in the rest of the garlic and the purée for a minute, then add the passata, chopped tomatoes, the finely chopped basil stalks and a pinch of salt. Simmer for 10 minutes.

   20 min, mostly hands-off

5. 5

   Tip the meatballs and any juices into the sauce and turn them to coat. Simmer gently with the lid ajar for 15 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through with no pink in the middle and the sauce is thick.

   15 min, mostly hands-off

6. 6

   Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a big pan of boiling salted water for 10 minutes, or as the packet says. Drain, keeping a splash of the water.

   15 min, mostly hands-off

7. 7

   Tear the basil leaves into the sauce. Toss the spaghetti with a couple of ladles of sauce and the pasta water, then top with the meatballs and the rest of the cheese. Cool any you are keeping and portion the meatballs and sauce into tubs for the fridge or freezer.