Lamb Meatballs and Pasta with Tomatoes, Olives, Capers and Chilli
Ingredients
500 g lamb mince
100 g (3½ oz) breadcrumbs
100 ml ( ⅓ cup) milk
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 fresh chilli, finely chopped
5 anchovy fillets
200 g cherry tomatoes
400 g tin crushed tomatoes
250 g dried pasta
12 olives, roughly crushed
2 tbsp capers
½ bunch fresh basil, torn
100 g pecorino cheese, grated
Instructions
In a mixing bowl, combine the lamb mince, breadcrumbs, milk, dried oregano, a pinch of salt, and 4-5 turns of black pepper. Mix until everything is evenly distributed, but don’t overmix, as this can make the meatballs tough.
Roll the mixture into small meatballs, slightly smaller than golf ball size.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add meatballs to the pan. Fry the meatballs, turning every 2–3 minutes, until they have some colour on all sides.
Once the meatballs are browned, add the garlic and chilli, cooking for 30 seconds.
Add anchovies and cherry tomatoes, along with a small pinch of salt. Stir well, then add the tinned tomatoes.
Add 200 ml of water to the pan and bring to a simmer.
Add the pasta to the pan, carefully stirring it through the sauce. If the pasta absorbs more liquid than expected, add a bit more water. Cook the pasta for about 10 minutes, stirring every 1–2 minutes to prevent sticking.
Once the pasta is almost fully cooked, add the olives and capers. Toss everything well to combine.
Finally, add the torn basil and toss it through the pasta. Serve on plates and grate some fresh pecorino cheese over the top.
