Spaghetti & Meatballs with Chunky Veggie Tomato Sauce

• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 carrot
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 small eggplant
• 2 cans whole tomatoes (1 can = 400 g)
• 1/2 can water
• 1 splash white or red wine (optional)
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• to taste salt & pepper
• 1-2 tsp sugar, if needed
• 400 g ground pork, beef or mix
• 1 tsp salt (or use 1-2 tsp shio-koji)
• 1 tsp dry sage
• 1/2 tsp smoked or regular paprika
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 4 servings pasta

1. If you have time, prepare the meatball mixture the night before (the salt/shio-koji will help tenderize the meat).
2. If not, mix before you start cooking - Mix all the meatball ingredients in a bowl or tupperware.
3. Finely mince the garlic and onion.
4. Chop the eggplant, carrot, and bell pepper into small cubes.
5. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a sauce pan and saute the garlic and onion until onion is very soft.
6. Add the other vegetables, herbs, and a pinch of salt & pepper.
7. Saute for a couple of minutes.
8. Add the cans of whole tomatoes, a splash of wine (optional) and about 1/2 can water (~150 ml).
9. Bring the sauce to a boil.
10. Turn to medium low and let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes until it's the thickness you like.
11. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
12. Add a teaspoon or two of sugar if the tomatoes are too acidic/tart.
13. While the sauce is cooking, get the meatballs ready.
14. Form the meatball mixture into about 16 meatballs.
15. Heat a frying pan with a little bit of oil.
16. Add the meatballs to the pan and fry the first side.
17. (fry in batches depending on the size of your pan.
18. You don't want to crowd them too much)
19. When the first side is browned, flip the meatballs and brown the other sides.
20. Remove from the frying pan when done.
21. The insides will be cooked later in the sauce.
22. Prepare a pot of boiling water for the pasta and toss the pasta in so it's cooking while you finish up the rest of the meatball sauce.
23. When the sauce has been thickened and the pasta is in the pot, add the meatballs into the sauce.
24. Cover with a lid and simmer it on low for about 5 minutes to finish cooking the insides of the meatballs.
25. When the pasta is finished, dish it out onto plates and top with the meatball sauce.
26. Garnish with grated parmesan cheese and a little parsley.

onion, garlic, carrot, green bell pepper, eggplant, tomatoes, water, white, oregano, thyme, fennel seeds, salt, sugar, ground pork, salt, sage, regular paprika, pepper, pasta

Taken from cookpad.com/us/recipes/314976-spaghetti-meatballs-with-chunky-veggie-tomato-sauce (may not work)