Meatballs

PREPARATION  15 minutes chilling time

COOKING  35 minutes

SERVES  6

175 g (6 oz) minced (ground) pork

175 g (6 oz) minced (ground) veal

3 garlic cloves, crushed

35 g (1¼ oz/¹/₃ cup) dry breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cumin

pinch of ground cinnamon

1 egg

2 tablespoons olive oil

Spicy tomato sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 brown onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) dry white wine

400 g (14 oz) tinned chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste (concentrated purée)

125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) chicken stock

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

80 g (2¾ oz/½ cup) frozen peas

Combine the pork, veal, garlic, breadcrumbs, spices, egg and season with salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix by hand until the mixture is smooth and leaves the side of the bowl. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes.

Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and toss half the meatballs over medium–high heat for about 2–3 minutes, or until browned. Drain on paper towel. Add remaining oil, if necessary, and brown the rest of the meatballs. Drain on paper towel.

To make the sauce, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Increase the heat to high, add the wine and boil for 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, the tomato paste and stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the cayenne pepper, peas and the meatballs and simmer for 5–10 minutes, or until sauce is thick. Serve hot.