Pork meatballs in red pepper sauce

Contains pork – recipe is for non-Muslims only
You can’t beat a comforting bowl of spaghetti and meatballs, and this version is superhealthy too

Prep:15 mins
Cook:20 mins

Serves 4
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 303
fat 17g
saturates 5g
carbs 14g
sugars 8g
fibre 3g
protein 25g
salt 0.9g

Ingredients

450g pork mince
1 small apple, peeled, cored and grated
1 small garlic clove, crushed
25g fresh white breadcrumbs
1 tbsp olive oil
250g spaghetti, to serve
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
400g can chopped tomato
3 roasted red peppers (from a jar), roughly chopped

Tip

Use up roasted peppers: Red pepper houmous
Whizz 2 roasted red peppers in a food processor with a drained 400g can chickpeas, 1 tbsp tahini and 2 tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Method

Put the pork mince in a bowl and stir in the apple, garlic, breadcrumbs and some salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into 16 balls, cover and chill for 10 mins.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and add the onion. Cook for 2-3 mins, until softened, then tip in the tomatoes and half a can of water. Stir in the peppers along with some salt and pepper. Partially cover and simmer for 15 mins.
Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and add the meatballs. Cook for 5-6 mins, stirring occasionally until they are browned all over. Set aside and keep warm.
Using a hand-held blender, whizz the tomato sauce until smooth. Carefully add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 5 mins, until cooked through. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti following pack instructions, drain, then divide between serving plates. Top with the meatballs and sauce.