Nona’s meatballs in tomato sauce with fried aubergine

Love this recipe, it is extremely easy to throw together and always tastes fantastic, the meatballs are the yummiest I have ever tasted and the fresh home grown aubergines went so nice with them too, thanks MIL for the aubergines.  Ha ha heard a funny story whilst cooking them aubergines, apparently Jo texted her Mum last night to thank her for them, she texted back and said "you’re welcome darling", as she usually does, then this morning Jo rang her and thanked her again, Mother dearest laughed and asked “what are aubergines”, good on ya Mum,  v funny!

Start out by getting your big mixing bowl out for this one and throw 750g premium beef mince into it, followed a good handful of grated tasty cheese, a cup of grated parmesan cheese, 4 eggs, a couple of garlic cloves crushed, 1 ½ cups of fresh breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp mixed Italian herbs, a decent cranking of black pepper and a shake of salt.  Now wash your hands and mix all that together until well combined, then with wet hands grab half a handful and roll into a ball, about the size of a squash ball, repeat until you have about 20 balls ready to cook all nicely lined up on a tray.  Now heat some vegetable oil in a heavy based frying pan, you want it about 2-3 ml deep, when the oil is nice and hot add the meatballs, turning often whilst they cook for 8-10 minutes. When they are cooked remove to your tray that is now lined with paper towel and bung them in the oven to keep warm, have oven at about 120C.  Now using the same pan and oil fry the aubergine, which I dusted lightly with rice flour, salt and pepper, cook until golden both sides, remove from pan add put with the meatballs in the oven.  Drain off the oil from the pan and remove any meat crumbs, now using the same pan, add a tbsp olive oil, let that heat a little then add a finely diced onion, a fine diced green capsicum, a crushed garlic clove or two and a tbsp mixed Italian herbs, stir whist cooking.  Cook until onions are softened then add 1 cup stock, stir pan to remove stuck bits, then add two cans of crushed tomatoes, if you have whole tomatoes like I did, you get to have fun squishing them between your fingers.  Bring sauce to the boil, and then reduce to simmer with the lid on.  Now cook your pasta, bring water to the boil, once it is boiled add your pasta, then take meatballs from the oven and add them to the sauce, spoon sauce all over them and let them simmer whilst the pasta cooks, about 8-11 minutes depending on the pasta you have chosen.  Serve meatballs with sauce over the pasta and add aubergines to the side, bon appétit.