Ingredients
- 1kg beef mince
- 1kg pork mince
- 100g Dijon mustard
- 10g cumin powder
- 10g parsley, chopped
- 150g onions, diced
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 lemon
- 1 small bunch thyme
- Sunflower oil
- 1.5 litres tomato passata
- Salt and pepper
- 1 aubergine
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Basil leaves and lemon peel, to garnish
Directions
- Mix all the meatball ingredients together and form into medium size rounds. Pan fry till brown. Place into a suitable ovenware dish.
- Add onions, garlic, thyme and lemon zest with a dash of sunflower oil to a heavy-based pot and cook till lightly coloured. Add the tomato passata and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 15 minutes.
- Slice the aubergine and toss in the olive oil. Place on a preheated grill pan and char on both sides until cooked. Dice and add to the sauce.
- Pour sauce over the meatballs and cook in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely before freezing. Once defrosted, reheat in the oven until piping hot again. Garnish with basil leaves and lemon peel.
Recipe credit: The Butler’s Pantry
Photography credit: Harry Weir, assisted by Brian Clarke
Tips
- We love this with spaghetti, but rice or potatoes would work too.
- Meatballs are always handy to have in the freezer so it’s a good idea to make a double batch and freeze half.
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We add some pork mince into the mix, along with beef, as you need a bit of fat in there so the meatballs don’t become too dry.
