Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Meatballs

Ingredients

• 2 shallots
• 1 Garlic clove
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 400 g passered tomatoes
• 2 fresh tomatoes
• Salt
• Pepper (freshly ground)
• 400 g penne
• 1 handful basil
• 0.5 handful thyme
• 1 tsp white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 60 g green olives (pitted)
• 2 Spring Onions
• 600 g mixed minced meat
• 1 egg
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp Dried oregano
• 0.5 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. 1.

   Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic for the pasta. Sauté in hot oil until translucent, then pour in the passered tomatoes. Cover the fresh tomatoes with boiling water, remove, peel, and dice the flesh. Add to the sauce, season with salt and pepper, and simmer gently for about 10 minutes.

2. 2.

   Drain and finely chop the olives for the meatballs. Wash, trim, and finely dice the spring onions. Combine olives, onions, minced meat, egg, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and oregano in a bowl. Knead well to form a smooth dough; add breadcrumbs if needed. Shape into 8 meatballs.

3. 3.

   Cook penne in boiling salted water until al dente. Rinse basil and thyme leaves. Set aside some leaves or small sprigs for garnish. Chop the remaining leaves finely and mix into the sauce, seasoning with balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.

4. 4.

   Heat olive oil in a pan and brown the meatballs about 3 minutes per side. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Plate and top each serving with two meatballs. Garnish with the leftover herbs before serving.

5. 5.

   Serve with freshly grated Parmesan on the side.