Homemade Meatballs and Tomato Sauce
Prepare carefully. Work safely. Evaluate honestly.
- Serves / makes
- 6 servings
- Preparation
- 25 minutes
- Cooking
- 25 minutes
- Total time
- 50 minutes
Heat / oven settingHob: medium heat, then gentle simmer
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 750g | |
| 60g | |
| 75g beaten egg, weighed without shell (beat whole eggs and weigh the amount needed) | |
| 1.5 | |
| 3 cloves | |
| 3 tsp | |
| 750g | |
| 1.5 tbsp | |
| 1.5 tbsp | |
| 150ml | |
| 375g |
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Equipment
- Digital scales, measuring jug and spoons
- Clean chopping boards and sharp knife
- Mixing bowl
- Clean serving utensils
- Oven gloves and heatproof mat
- Large deep frying pan
- Saucepan and colander
- Wooden spoon
- Clean food thermometer
- Extra baking tray or larger pan/dish if needed for six servings
Method
Prepare
Wash hands, tie back hair and clean the workstation. Weigh the ingredients. Prepare vegetables first, then handle raw meat on a separate board; wash hands and sanitise equipment afterwards. Mix mince, breadcrumbs, egg and 1.5 tsp herbs. Form 24 equal meatballs. Wash hands. Use pans and trays large enough for six servings. Cook in batches if needed; keep pieces the same size and allow extra time for batches. For baked dishes, use a wider dish to keep the original depth. For a fractional egg quantity, beat the egg first, then weigh the stated amount without shell.
Brown
Heat oil in a large frying pan. Brown meatballs for 6–8 minutes, turning gently. Transfer to a plate reserved for partially cooked meat.
Start sauce
Soften onion in the pan for 5 minutes. Add garlic, remaining herbs and purée for 1 minute, then passata and water.
Simmer meatballs
Return meatballs and any plate juices to the sauce. Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, turning occasionally. Check the centre reaches 75°C for at least 30 seconds with a clean food thermometer; continue cooking if needed.
Cook pasta
Meanwhile boil spaghetti according to packet instructions. Drain carefully and divide between six bowls.
Serve
Top spaghetti with equal portions of meatballs and sauce. Evaluate whether the meatballs hold their shape.
Portion for six
Divide the finished dish evenly between six people.
Food safety
- Wash hands, clean surfaces, tie back hair and use clean equipment. Check use-by dates and ingredient labels before starting.
- Keep raw meat separate from cooked and ready-to-eat food. Do not wash raw poultry; wash hands and sanitise utensils after raw meat contact.
- Use a cleaned food thermometer for meat and egg dishes: the centre should reach 75°C for at least 30 seconds, or an equivalent safe time and temperature. Timings are a guide; size and equipment affect cooking.
- Cool perishable leftovers and refrigerate within 1–2 hours. Keep the fridge at 5°C or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 48 hours and reheat only once until steaming hot throughout. Rice has a shorter storage limit.
Guidance: Food Standards Agency cooking advice ↗
Nutritional considerations
Beef supplies protein and iron. Pasta supplies carbohydrate; wholewheat pasta adds fibre. Tomato sauce helps include vegetables.
Practical skills
Shaping mince, browning, simmering and coordinating pasta.
Presentation
Use clean serving equipment, divide evenly and wipe the plate or dish edges. Check the finished food against your planned colour, texture and appearance.
Evaluate your practical
Describe the appearance, flavour, texture and a skill you used successfully.
Explain one improvement to the recipe, your timings or your technique.
Classroom adaptation written from the recipe title in your collection. Review portions, ingredients and timings with your teacher before a practical.
Times are approximate. Quantities are for the stated yield; accompanying foods are included only when listed. This learning sheet does not itself award a qualification.