Italian Sausage and Red Wine Meatballs with Spaghetti

Ingredients
- 6 good herby sausages
- 1 Tbsp of oil, if needed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 fat cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/3 cup full-bodied red wine
- 700ml bottle of passata
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/3 cup fresh torn basil, or 1½ Tbsps basil paste
- fresh or dried pasta for 6
Method
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1. Place a large frying pan on the stove. Use your fingers to squeeze the sausage meat in rough nuggets into the pan (aim for about six even-sized balls from each sausage). Brown the balls lightly, only add oil if they are sticking to the pan.
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2. While the balls are browning, chop the onion and garlic and add to the pan, cooking gently until softened.
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3. When the onion and garlic are soft, add the wine to the pan and cook until evaporated.
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4. While the wine is reducing, prepare a pot of water to cook the pasta.
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5. Add the passata and brown sugar to the frying pan and stir in the oregano and basil. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes.
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6. Cool the pasta till al dente. Reserve a little of the cooking water and add a splash to the meatball mixture to give it a little gloss.
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7. Serve the meatballs and sauce over the pasta with plenty of parmesan and some fresh parsley or basil scattered over the top. A salad and some crusty bread are good accompaniments.