Sam Stern'S Pasta,Meatballs And Tomato Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

459 g best quality minced beef
2 tablespoons milk
2 slices good white bread, thick slices, crusts removed
olives or sunflower oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 1/2 - 5 cm fresh gingerroot
plain flour, to coat
1 lemon, rind of, grated
2 tablespoons chopped herbs, thyme, coriander, parsley
1 egg
salt and black pepper
the sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onions or 2 fat shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400 g chopped tomatoes
1 pinch sugar
2 teaspoons tomato puree
basil leaves, torn and whole
good squeeze lemon juice
salt and black pepper

Preparation

heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan. add onion or shallots with a pinch of salt and cook gently for about five minutes, till soft. add garlic.
tip in tomatoes, herbs, sugar, tomato puree, seasoning, torn basil and lemon juice.
stir. leave to boil for at least 10 minutes. add a little water if it gets dry. taste and adjust seasoning.
then place the bread in large bowl. add milk. leave for 5 minutes, then squeeze dry (chuck out the milk).
heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan.cook onion and garlic gently, till soft. add to bread in bowl.
add beef, grated ginger, lemon rind, herbs, egg and salt and pepper to the bread mix. mix.
shape meat into walnut-sized balls. roll lightly in flour.
cook the meatballs gently, in oil for 10-15 minutes, till brown all over, turning them now and then.
heat the tomato sauce in a large saucepan. add meatballs. reduce heat. cover with a lid and cook gently for 15 minutes.