Heat the oven to 240°C (220°C fan). First, make the sauce. Put a 400g tin plum tomatoes, a teaspoon of Aleppo chilli, 1 tbsp oil, 1/2 tbsp tomato paste, 1,5 tsp caster sugar, 2 peeled and crushed cloves of garlic, 200ml water, half a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper in a medium 20cm x 14cm oven dish and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring once halfway, until reduced by about half.
To make the 'meatballs', put 1,5 tbsp oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high heat.
Add 1 peeled and finely chopped onion, 1 peeled and finely chopped (in the foodprocessor) carrot, the leaves of 3 sprigs of thyme and 1 tbsp oregano leaves, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the onion has softened and lightly coloured. Add 3 peeled and crushed cloves of garlic, 300g chestnut mushrooms (coarsely chopped in the foodprocessor) and 1 tbsp soy sauce, cook, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes, until nicely browned, then take off the heat and leave to cool
Once the mushroom mix is cool, stir in 2 tbsp toasted and roughly chopped pine nuts, 65g cooked brown rice, roughly blitzed in the foodprocessor, 1 teaspoon of Aleppo chilli, 25g grated parmesan, 1 egg, 50g Panko breadcrumbs and 35g finely chopped parsley, and mix well to combine.
Once the mushroom mix is cool, stir in 2 tbsp toasted and roughly chopped pine nuts, 65g cooked brown rice, roughly blitzed in the foodprocessor, 1 teaspoon of Aleppo chilli, 25g grated parmesan, 1 egg, 50g Panko breadcrumbs and 35g finely chopped parsley, and mix well to combine.
Divide the mix into eight roughly 60g pieces, roll these into balls, making sure they’re tightly compacted. Wipe out the pan, then put it back on a medium-high heat with two tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is hot, fry the meatballs, turning them gently, for seven to eight minutes, until evenly coloured all over.
Carefully transfer the balls to the tomato sauce dish, turn them gently with a spoon to coat, then return the dish to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, to heat the meatballs through.
Meanwhile, make the crisp oregano. Put 2 tbsp olive oil in a small frying pan on a medium-high heat and, once hot, add 1,5 tbsp oregano leaves and fry, stirring constantly, for two minutes, until they start to darken and turn translucent. Take off the heat and pour through a sieve set over a small bowl.
Cook 130g spaghetti in plenty of salted boiling water for about seven minutes, or according to package directions, then drain, reserving three tablespoons of the cooking water.
Carefully lift the meatballs from the sauce and transfer them to a plate.
Meanwhile, make the crisp oregano. Put 2 tbsp olive oil in a small frying pan on a medium-high heat and, once hot, add 1,5 tbsp oregano leaves and fry, stirring constantly, for two minutes, until they start to darken and turn translucent. Take off the heat and pour through a sieve set over a small bowl.
Cook 130g spaghetti in plenty of salted boiling water for about seven minutes, or according to package directions, then drain, reserving three tablespoons of the cooking water.
Carefully lift the meatballs from the sauce and transfer them to a plate.
Stir the spaghetti and reserved cooking water into the tomato sauce until nicely coated, then divide between two shallow bowls, top with three meatballs each and then with the crisp oregano and its oil.
Sprinkle with extra parmesan, and serve.
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from simple food, looking good
Spaghetti and (not) meatballs with fried oregano Recipe
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