Meatballs & Spaghetti

Just because you have some mince in your fridge, it doesn't mean that you have to have spaghetti bolognese for dinner. I am not an Italian and I'm certainly not an expert in Italian cooking. But here it is, my version of Meatballs & Pasta.

400g of mixed lamb and pork mince (I would normally use beef + pork but lamb is what I have in the fridge)
chopped basil
chopped parsley
3 tbsp breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 chopped carrot
1 chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, crushed and roughly chopped
4 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 canned tomato soup
Wholemeal spaghetti or any pasta
Parmesan, grated (optional)

1) In a large bowl, mix together the minced meat, chopped basil, parsley, breadcrumbs and 1 egg. Add freshly ground pepper and mix well.
2) Roll ~1 tbsp of mince mixture into a meatball. Repeat with the rest.
3) Cook pasta according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
4) In a heated frying pan, add olive oil and meatballs. Allow to cook until golden and cooked through. Set aside on paper towel to absorb excess oil.
5) In the same frying pan, add onion and carrot. Stir until soften then mix in garlic. Add tomatoes to pan and cook for a few minutes. Add in tomato soup and bring it to a simmer. Add water to thin it out if desired. Mix in meatballs, cracked pepper and chopped basil.
6) To serve, place pasta on a plate or a bowl and spoon over the tomato sauce. Sprinkle over grated Parmesan if desired.

This may look waaaaayyyyyyyyyy to saucy for some of you but this is the type of pasta that I grew up having, which obviously is not the most authentic Italian. Oh well, I'm blaming my parents for it!