Meatballs in tomato sauce

Ingredients

• 500 g mixed beef and pork mince
• 1 egg
• 40 g dried breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tsp Xalte Garlic & Onion salt
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
• 500 g crushed tomato
• 1 bay leaf

Method

1. 1Wash, dry and finely chop the parsley. Put the mince, the egg, the breadcrumbs, the parsley and 1 teaspoon of the Xalte Garlic & Onion salt in a large bowl.
2. 2Mix with your hands for 1-2 minutes, only until everything is evenly combined. Do not work it for longer than needed, or the meatballs will be tough.
3. 3Wet your hands under the tap so the meat does not stick and shape about 20 balls the size of a walnut, about 3 cm across. Set them on a plate as you go and wash your hands well when you finish.
4. 4Heat the oil in a wide casserole over a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in two batches, without crowding the pan, for 5-6 minutes per batch, turning them until brown all over; move them to a clean plate, even though they are still raw inside.
5. 5Turn the heat down to medium and, in the same casserole, add the crushed tomato, carefully because it spits, the bay leaf and the remaining teaspoon of Xalte Garlic & Onion salt. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen the bits left by the meat, which add a lot of flavour.
6. 6Cook the sauce for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until it thickens and turns a darker red.
7. 7Return the meatballs to the casserole with any juices from the plate and spoon the sauce over them. Cover, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, turning them once halfway through.
8. 8Cut one meatball in half to check it is done: the inside should be an even colour, with no trace of pink. Remove the bay leaf and serve hot, five per person, with the sauce spooned over.