FLAT FISH BALL RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Add all the flatbread ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix together with a spoon, then use clean hands to pat and bring everything together.
  2. Dust a clean work surface with flour, then tip out the dough.
  3. Knead for a minute or so to bring it all together (this isn’t a traditional bread recipe, so you don’t need to knead it for long – just enough time to bring everything together).
  4. Put the dough into a floured-dusted bowl and cover with a plate, then leave aside.
  5. If making the garlic butter: peel the garlic cloves and crush them with a garlic crusher.
  6. Pick the herb leaves onto a chopping board and finely chop them, discarding the stalks.
  7. Melt the butter in a small pan over a medium heat, then stir through the garlic and chopped herbs, then set aside.
  8. Dust a clean work surface and rolling pin with flour, then divide the dough in half, then divide each half into 6 equal-sized pieces (roughly the size of a golf ball).
  9. With your hands, pat and flatten the dough, then use a rolling pin to roll each piece into 12cm rounds, roughly 2mm to 3mm thick.
  10. Use a knife to cut 6 lines into the centre of each round, leaving about 3cm at each end.
  11. Place the griddle pan on a high heat, then once hot, cook each one for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until bar-marked and puffed up, turning with tongs.
  12. Brush the flatbreads all over with herby garlic butter as they come off the griddle, then pile onto a serving board so everyone can dig in and help themselves.

Steps:

• First, make the meatballs. Split the skins of the sausages and squeeze out the meat into a large mixing bowl.
• Add the mince, onion, parsley, parmesan, breadcrumbs, eggs and lots of seasoning. Get your hands in and mix together really well – the more you squeeze and mash the mince, the more tender the meatballs will be.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Roll the mince mixture into about 50 golf-ball-sized meatballs. Set aside any meatballs for freezing, allowing about five per portion, then spread the rest out in a large roasting tin – the meatballs will brown better if spaced out a bit.
• Drizzle with a little oil (about 1 tsp per portion), shake to coat, then roast for 20-30 mins until browned.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic cloves and sizzle for 1 min.
• Stir in the chopped tomatoes, red wine, if using, caster sugar, parsley and seasoning. Simmer for 15-20 mins until slightly thickened.
• Stir in a few basil leaves, if using, spoon out any portions for freezing, then add the cooked meatballs to the pan to keep warm while you cook the spaghetti in a pan of boiling, salted water.
• Spoon the sauce and meatballs over spaghetti, or stir them all together and serve with extra parmesan and a few basil leaves, if you like.