One-pot meatballs with tomato sauce and orzo by Rick Stein

I tried making these meatballs with minced pork but they were too dry, so I think they are much better made with good-quality sausage meat, by which I mean at least 90 per cent pork. A lot of the brands of tomato passata with flavourings are not to my taste, but the Napolina soffritto is just tomato, garlic, onion and celery.

SERVES 4
400g premium pork sausages, skins removed and discarded
¾ tsp fennel seeds, coarsely ground
¼ tsp chilli flakes
4 tbsp olive oil
250g orzo
3 garlic cloves, chopped
60ml white wine
400ml soffritto passata (I like Napolina)
1 rosemary sprig
Salt and black pepper

To serve
Parmesan, grated
Basil leaves, torn

Mix the sausage meat, fennel seeds and chilli flakes in a bowl and shape into balls about the size of cherry tomatoes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a shallow casserole dish or a large pan with a lid and fry the meatballs until lightly browned all over. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pan, add the orzo and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic and fry for a minute, then pour in the wine and bring to the boil. Add the passata and 650ml of water, season and bring to the boil again. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 2–3 minutes.

Add the meatballs and rosemary, season with salt and pepper, then cover the pan with a lid and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for a final couple of minutes until the pasta is done and the sauce is thickened.

Serve with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and torn basil leaves.

Extracted from Rick Stein’s Simple Suppers (BBC Books, £28). Photography by James Murphy
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