Name: Slow cooker meatballs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 10 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 small onion finely diced; 1 garlic clove finely chopped; 200g pork mince; 200g beef mince; 50g fresh breadcrumbs; ½ tsp dried oregano; 1 egg lightly beaten; 1 tbsp fresh parsley leaves and stems finely chopped; grated parmesan to serve; 690ml good-quality tomato passata; ½ bunch basil leaves and stems roughly chopped; 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Plate of spaghetti meatballs topped with basil

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion
finely diced
1 garlic clove
finely chopped
200g pork mince
200g beef mince
50g fresh breadcrumbs
½ tsp dried oregano
1 egg
lightly beaten
1 tbsp fresh parsley
leaves and stems finely chopped
grated parmesan
to serve

For the sauce

690ml good-quality tomato passata
½ bunch basil
leaves and stems roughly chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method

step 1
Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion over a medium heat for 3-4 mins until beginning to soften. Season, then stir in the garlic, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant. Season and remove from the heat.
step 2
Put the mince in a large bowl along with the remaining ingredients (minus the parmesan) and seasoning. Add the onion mix and use wet, clean hands to mix well. Form into 16 golf ball size meatballs. Place the same frying pan back over a medium heat and brown the meatballs all over for 3-4 mins. You may need to do this in two batches.
step 3
Place the meatballs in your slow cooker. Combine the sauce ingredients in a jug, season well then pour over the meatballs. Cook on low for 6-8 hrs, stirring halfway through, until the meatballs have cooked through and the sauce tastes deep and rich. Serve with your choice of side and sprinkle with the parmesan.