Italian Sausage and Red Wine Meatballs with Spaghetti

15 minutes + 20 minutes Serves 6
Valentines Day Pasta Meatballs Tomato Italian Mother's Day
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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
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How to Cook Perfect Pasta

Method

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.

2. While the balls are browning, chop the onion and garlic and add to the pan, cooking gently until softened.

3. When the onion and garlic are soft, add the wine to the pan and cook until evaporated.

4. While the wine is reducing, prepare a pot of water to cook the pasta.

5. Add the passata and brown sugar to the frying pan and stir in the oregano and basil. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes.

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.

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.

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