Spaghetti with Herbed Ricotta Meatballs

Directions

1. Prepare all ingredients as described above.

2. Place the mince, ricotta, parmesan, egg, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, Italian Herbs, thyme, half the lemon zest and half of the chopped parsley in a large mixing bowl. Season well with salt and a pinch of chilli, and mix well with your hands to evenly combine all the ingredients. Roll the mixture into small balls, and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

3. Add a few spoonfuls of olive oil to a large, heavy-based pan over medium heat. Once hot, brown the meatballs on all sides in batches, until just cooked through – about 5 minutes each. Remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside. Adding a bit more oil, sauté the sliced onion and garlic, cooking over low-medium heat until softened, caramelised and sweet – about 10 minutes – before returning meatballs to mixture and turning down the heat to low.

4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of boiling, well-salted water as per packet instructions. Once al dente, transfer the pasta to the pan along with the meatballs and a few spoonfuls of the cooking water. Add the remaining chopped parsley and lemon zest and toss to combine, coating every strand of pasta with the onion/garlic mixture. Season to taste.
   

To serve

1. Transfer to serving bowls and top with a drizzle of oil and plenty of freshly grated parmesan.