Chilli Meatballs with a Tomato & Basil Sauce - Gourmet Garden's Blog Off Cook Off

Gourmet Garden are the the producer of fresh herbs and spices easy for weekday cooking.  Their passion is organically-grown herbs and spices packaged in a convenient squeezable tube that lasts for up to 3 months in your fridge.  They are currently running a Blog Off Cook Off competition where one lucky blogger can win a trip to Australia and a whopping £3000!

Using some of their great range of fresh herbs and spices, I have to develop and make a recipe to be judged by the great Rosemary Shrager.

So here we go - here's one of my entries to the fantastic Gourmet Garden's Blog Off Cook Off competition.
Chilli Meatballs with a Basil & Tomato Sauce - serves 1-2
For the meatballs
150g minced beef or lamb
1 tbsp Gourmet Garden garlic
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp Gourmet Garden chilli
2 tbsp olive oil

For the tomato and basil sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small carton of passata (250g)
1/2 onion, very finely chopped
1 tbsp Gourmet Garden basil
1 tsp Gourmet Garden garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve
Freshly cooked spaghetti
Green side salad

1. Add all the meatball ingredients (except the olive oil) to a large bowl, mix with your hands and shape into small meatballs (about 6-8).
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the meatballs for 5-6 minutes.  Remove from the pan, set aside and keep warm.
3. Whilst the meatballs are cooking, fry the onion in a little oil in a small saucepan until soft.  Add the passata, basil and garlic and heat through gently.
4. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5. Serve the meatballs on top of the tomato and basil sauce on a bed of freshly cooked spaghetti, with a fresh green side salad.