QUICK & EASY TOMATO & MEATBALL PASTA SAUCE, Veggie & Vegan option

Quick & Easy Food from scratch: Tomato & Meatball sauce (and a pasta meal) in 20 minutes 

Quick & Easy Tomato & Meatball Sauce
(this one with a dieter's amount of spelt pasta, low-fat beef & green beans)

This is an extremely easy and versatile sauce which can be used for meat-eaters, vegetarians and vegans - a tasty, warming & satisfying substitute for processed sauces.

The meatballs can be made with turkey, beef, pork, quorn - whatever you like. Frozen peas can be replaced with easy-cook veg like brocolli spears, green beans and mange toute.

Vegetarians can cook the sauce without meat, adding goats or other cheese later; vegans can top up with pulses, spiced tofu (Clearspring) or Tivali or similar veggie frankfurters.

It's cheerful, not expensive, and - for busy cooks - a walkover.

Cost: £2
Serves: up to 4; freeze leftover sauce 

Ingred:
    
    2 tbsp good olive oil
    1 onion
    1 clove garlic
    1 tsp dried basil
    a pinch of chilli flakes (opt)
    400 gm chopped tomatoes (tinned are ok)  
    1/2-1 tbsp low or no-salt tomato paste
    1/2-1 tsp sugar (to offset acidity of tomatoes; test by taste)
    salt & pepper
    
    100-150 gm mince (poultry, beef, quorn)
    2/3 mug frozen peas or easy cook veg

    3 oz/85 gms dried pasta per person
    fresh parsley

    Parmesan (opt)

    Vegetarians: goats or other cheese
    Vegans: pulses; spiced tofu or veggie frankfurthers

Method:

1. Set a large deep frying pan on to medium heat
2. Meanwhile, fill a good sized pot with lightly salted water & bring to the boil; 
3. Chop onion in half: peel; quarter and chop in small dice; mince or grate garlic OR pulse both in blender until in shards
4. When frying pan is hot, add olive oil, then onion & garlic. Sautee over med heat till soft but not brown (3-5 mins) 
5. Add tomatoes, rinsing out tin with a little water & adding to the pan with tomato paste, sugar, herbs & chilli, if using 
6. Let it bubble gently over med high heat; don't let it catch
7. When water boils, add pasta; cook according to packet 
8. Use a teaspoon to break off small meatball sized chunks of mince
9. 3-4 mins before pasta is done, add meatballs and veg to the pasta & water; remove scum from fat in meat which will float to the top
10. Taste tomato sauce & season with pepper & salt; blitz with blender (stick or bowl) until smooth; return to pan
11. Drain pasta, meat & peas; add to sauce; stir, coating everything evenly; add a bit of pasta water if needed
12. Serve garnished with parmesan (opt) and chopped fresh parsley, if using 

Tips

• The sauce freezes well
• It repays long slow cooking; if you have time on the weekend, cook on low heat for up 30-40 minutes before blending
• Add sunblush tomatoes or artichoke hearts (or all three) to veggie protein for added flavour 

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.