Spaghetti With Meatballs

Every child loves eating spaghetti – especially with their friends. Just remember that classic scene in The Lady and The Tramp, which was of course in an Italian restaurant, and you can see the appeal.
Chasing long, skinny pasta covered in tomato sauce is fun as well as tasty. Add in a meatball or two and you've got a guaranteed favourite.
It's also great to make and quick. Fifteen minutes later and there's an authentic dish of pasta for you and your little ones to enjoy.
It's filling but I bet there won't be any left overs!

What you'll need:

250 gm lean mincemeat to roll into meatballs (but every supermarket sells fresh ones that are just as good!)
I packet spaghetti (cook approx 50gm per child)
I stick celery
Half a carrot
Half an onion
Olive oil
Parmesan to garnish
400gms passata

How long it will take to make – 15 minutes

Difficulty rating – easy

How to make it

1. Fill large saucepan three quarters full of water and put on to boil. Drop in the dried spaghetti and cook
2. Meanwhile finely chop onion, carrots and celery
3. Heat two tablespoons olive oil on a medium heat in a frying pan
4. Add the onion and cook until soft and slightly golden, add the carrots followed by celery
5. Stir the mixture for one or two minutes
6. Roll the mincemeat into balls (you choose how big you want them) and drop them into the frying pan along with the onion mixture
7. Cook for around five to seven minutes until they are cooked all over – you'll need to keep moving them to ensure they're evenly cooked
8. Add the passata in with the meatballs, turn up the heat and keep stirring occasionally until the sauce begins to bubble
9. Turn down the heat and simmer for five minutes. Your sauce is now ready, so turn it off if your spaghetti isn't cooked but it should all be done if you've timed it right.
Don't overcook the spaghetti – it should still be al dente. Don't throw it at the wall as you English love to do to see if it's cooked. This is a myth. If it sticks it's overcooked!
10. Drain the pasta (not through cold or hot water and don't use any oil).
11. Throw the pasta into the meat ball sauce and mix it – with the heat back on to medium – so that it's piping hot and every strand of spaghetti is covered with the sauce.
12. Serve into bowls and sprinkle parmesan over the top to taste.
Mmm – have a napkin handy because if your child is anything like mine they'll soon be wearing their dinner!