Fast Spaghetti & Pork Meatballs w/ Homemade vine tomato & basil sauce

This is a great and very simple recipe we use when we want to make a fast evening tea. Few ingredients and a couple of shortcuts but it makes a pretty tasty meal. Letting the sauce simmer for long enough is the key here to avoid it being watery.

Serves 2
Prep time - 5 mins (if you're fast)
Cook time - 35 mins

2 Tbsp Virgin olive oil
2 Tsp fresh Basil, Finely chopped
4 whole basil leaves, to garnish
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
1-2 Tsp sugar
1/2 mug of frozen peas
Parmesan cheese to serve
Pinch of dried oregano

6 good quality pork sausages (90% pork or higher if you can)
2 ripe large vine tomatoes, chopped and diced small.
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
150g - 200g wholewheat spaghetti pasta


Method

Gather all equipment and ingredients you need and carry out all the prep work detailed above in the ingredients list.

Grab your sausages and squeeze out the meat with your fingers onto a plate (try to get 3 sections out of each sausage) Do not roll up the meat with your hands, just leave it as it comes out of the skin, rolling will cause it to break up in the pan.

In a medium saucepan heat up 1 Tbsp of olive oil on a medium heat. Add the garlic, chopped vine tomatoes, and crunch of sea salt and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute and then add 1 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar and a good tsp of fresh chopped basil. Cook this down for about 4-5 mins, keep an eye on the heat, not to high.

Tip in the tin of chopped tomatoes, and then 1 good Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce followed by a second Tsp of chopped basil. Bring this up to gentle simmer and add 1 Tsp of sugar (this takes the sharpness off of the tinned tomatoes) and a pinch of oregano. You may add more sugar later if you like if you find it too sharp. Let your sauce simmer for at least 25 mins or until it has reduced and thickened.

Heat up 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan on a medium heat and add your sausage meatballs. Season with salt and pepper. shuffle them in the pan and Fry until golden brown this should take about 15 mins.

Meanwhile grab your pasta and add it to a pan of boiling water with a crunch of sea salt. Cook this as per the packet instructions (usually between 8 and 12 mins) or until Al-dente.

5 Mins before your pasta is done stick your frozen peas into a bowl with a spash of cold water into the microwave and heat on full power for 2 1/2 mins, drain and tip into your simmering tomato sauce and stir in. The sauce should be starting to reduce and thicken by now, check for taste and season accordingly.

Assemble you're plates. Spaghetti First, Tomato sauce and then your meatballs placed on top. Garnish with grated Parmesan and 2 fresh Basil leaves.