COOKING RAW MEATBALLS IN SAUCE RECIPES

Steps:

• Children: Squeeze all the sausage meat out of the sausage skins into a large bowl and add the mince. Tip all the rest of the meatball ingredients, except the olive oil, into the bowl and season with black pepper then squish everything together through your hands until completely mixed. Keep an eye on younger children to make sure they don’t taste any of the raw mix.
• Children: Roll the meatball mix into walnut-sized balls and place them on a plate – this is a job children as young as 2 can help with and a great job to help teach older children basic division.
• Grown ups: While the children are rolling the meatballs make the sauce. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the courgette and garlic and cook for 5 mins until soft and mushy. Stir in the tomato puree, sugar and vinegar leave for 1 min then tip in the tomatoes and simmer for 5 mins. If your children like courgettes then you can leave the sauce chunky. But if, like mine, they hate courgettes then blitz the sauce with a hand blender – either way continue to simmer sauce gently while you cook the meatballs. If your child is confident with heat, from 7+ they can cook the sauce with supervision.
• Grown ups: Heat the oil in a large frying pan and, working in batches, brown the meatballs on all sides then pop them into the sauce – continue to simmer the sauce for 15 mins, stirring very gently until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve with cooked spaghetti, extra grated Parmesan and a few torn basil leaves your child has picked and torn.

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. 
• Place the meat in a large bowl and spread it out, creating a flat surface, to ensure the spices are evenly distributed. Sprinkle the salt, dried mint (if using), pepper and turmeric evenly over the meat. Add the grated onion and garlic, and mix everything well with your clean hands. Set a small bowl of warm water next to you, and wet your palms a little so the meat doesn’t stick to your hands. Roll the meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls (the size of a sparrow’s head), about 1 tablespoon of meat mixture per meatball. (You should have around 25 to 30 meatballs.) Place the meatballs on the prepared sheet pan, drizzle with the olive oil and bake until cooked through and slightly browned on top, about 20 minutes.  
• Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a medium sauté pan or pot with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the onion with a little salt, reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic and turmeric. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the garlic and turmeric are fragrant. 
• Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, stir, and cook for 2 minutes just to take the raw edge off. Push the potatoes to the sides and make a little space in the middle of the pot. Add the tomato paste to the oil in the center, stirring to cook off its raw taste and deepen the color, and taking care not to burn it, about 1 minute. Mix the tomato paste with the potatoes, add 1 1/2 cups of water, stir and bring to a gentle boil. Add the meatballs, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Taste the sauce and a potato, and adjust seasonings to your liking. Add the cinnamon, gently stir, cover and cook for another 5 minutes, until all the flavors have melded. You can add more water if you’d like a slightly thinner sauce.