Vegetarian Italian Meatballs with Tomato Sauce
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Vegetarian Italian Meatballs with Tomato Sauce

Prep 25 mins
Cook 30 mins
Serves 2

Enjoy Cauldron Lincolnshire Sausages blended with lots of fresh herbs, cheese and crumb and served with a traditional tomato sauce. Bon apetito!

Vegetarian Lincolnshire Sausages Find out more

Ingredients

Meatballs

1 pack of Cauldron Lincolnshire Sausages
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
¼ red pepper, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp Italian hard cheese, grated
4 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp oregano, dried
½ tsp Cayenne pepper
1 egg , beaten

Tomato Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
50g celery, finely diced
50g onion, finely diced
50g carrot, finely diced
1 L tomato passata
1 small bunch of basil
Salt, pepper and sugar (approximately 1 tsp) to taste
200g asparagus
Parmesan/Italian Hard Cheese shavings

Method

To prepare the sauce, lightly fry the celery, onion and carrot in the oil for 4-5 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato passata and whole basil leaves. Bring to the boil then simmer gently for 30 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper and a pinch of sugar to taste. Remove the basil before use.

Meanwhile, prepare the meatballs by lightly frying the onion and red pepper in 1 tbsp of the oil for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes. Allow to cool slightly for 5 minutes.

Blitz the Cauldron Lincolnshire Sausages in a food processor until reasonably smooth. Stir in the cheese, breadcrumbs, herbs, Cayenne pepper and egg. Mix well. Form balls approximately 21/5cm diameter.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4. Fry the meatballs in the remaining 2 tbsp of oil for 3-4 minutes until golden then place on a baking tray and cook for 12 minutes.

Preheat a griddle pan and chargrill the asparagus for 2-3 minutes.

Enjoy the Cauldron meatballs smothered in rich tomato sauce with your choice of pasta or a bed of chargrilled asparagus and topped with Italian hard cheese shavings.

Any leftover sauce can be kept in the fridge for 4-5 days.

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