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Basil meatballs

These delicious herby meatballs are quick and easy to make

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Difficulty: Easy
Serves 4

Preparation

Total time: 35 Mins
Preparation time: 25 Mins
Cooking time: 10 Mins

400g beef mince
1 onion
4 slices of soft bread
25g Parmesan cheese (grated)
1 glass of milk
8 fresh basil leaves
2 stalks of fresh parsley
1 egg
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Olive oil (for frying)

Tear the bread into strips, place in a bowl and pour over the milk. Leave to soak until needed.
Rinse the fresh basil and parsley and chop finely. Wash and peel the onion, before slicing it into small cubes.
Place the beef mince in a bowl. Add the chopped onion, herbs and grated Parmesan and mix well.
Stir in the softened bread and crack the egg into the bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Mix everything together with your hands and shape into evenly sized meatballs.
Heat a little oil in a large frying pan and cook the meatballs over a medium heat for around ten minutes, or until golden-brown.
It's best to cook no more than five or six meatballs at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan. Remember to turn them over to ensure the meat is cooked all the way through.

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Tips

If you don't have any fresh basil and parsley to hand, you can always use dried herbs instead. Pork or lamb mince would also work just fine as an alternative to beef. Or you could even try a veggie version with Quorn mince.

Delicious served with a simple tomato sauce and pasta or rice, as finger foods, or in a classic meatball sub sandwich.