Ingredients
2 onions
2 x 400g can of chopped tomatoes
1 vegetable or chicken stock cube
1 handful of basil leaves
1 tbsp of fennel seeds
1 red chilli
8 cumberland sausages
375g of dried spaghetti
Here’s how
Chop the onions into chunks and place in a large saucepan with the tinned tomatoes, the garlic (keeping 2 cloves back for the meatballs) and the stock cube. Place the pan onto a medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes until the onions are soft.
Leave the sauce to cool for 10-15 minutes then add a handful of basil leaves. Using a stick blender, whizz up the sauce until it's smooth.
Using a pestle and mortar, bash the fennel seeds to release the flavour. Peel and crush the remaining garlic cloves. Deseed a chilli. Put the garlic and chilli into a bowl with the crushed fennel seeds. Using a pair of scissors, cut the sausages out of their skins and add to the bowl (discard the skins).
Place the sauce back onto the heat and leave to heat up to a gentle simmer.
Mix the sausage meat and flavourings together. Wet your hands under the tap and roll the mixture into small meatballs (the water on your hands will help to stop the meatballs sticking).
Place the meatballs into the simmering sauce and cook for 10 - 15 minutes until fully cooked. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pan of salted boiling water for 9-10 minutes. When the pasta is cooked use a pair of tongs to lift the pasta straight out of the water and into the sauce.
Finish with a few extra torn basil leaves and a little parmesan cheese
