Italian Meatballs in Tomato & Basil Sauce

·  Frylite Spry

·  1 medium onion, finely chopped

·  1 fat garlic clove, crushed

·  1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

·  225g rindless smoked bacon

·  750g lean minced beef

·  Finely grated zest of half a lemon

·  75g fresh white breadcrumbs

·  Leaves from half a 20g packet parsley, chopped

·  1 medium egg, beaten

For the tomato sauce:

·  1 medium onion, finely chopped

·  1x 200g can chopped tomatoes

·  350g passata

·  Leaves from 1 small pot of basil, finely shredded

·  Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

  1. For the meatballs spray a cou[;e pf squirts of Frylite in a small frying pan, add the onion, garlic and oregano and cook over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes until soft. Leave to cool slightly.
  2. Put the bacon into a food processor and finely chop using the pulse button. Transfer to a large bowl and add the minced beef, lemon zest, breadcrumbs, parsley and cooked onion mixture and mix together well with your hands. Add the egg, ½ teaspoon salt and plenty black pepper and mix again. Shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls using slightly wet hands.
  3. Heat another 1½ - 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan. Add the meatballs, a few at a time, and brown all over, then transfer to a flameproof casserole.
  4. To make the tomato sauce, add a little more Frylite if necessary to the frying pan and, when hot, add the onion, garlic and red pepper and fry gently until softened. Add the chopped tomatoes, passata, ½ teaspoon salt and some black pepper.
  5. Pour the sauce over the meatballs, partly cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring gently now and then so as not to break up the meatballs. Stir in the basil and serve with some egg tagliatelle pasta or mashed potatoes.