Italian meatballs

In a pan over a medium to low heat, heat the olive oil and gently fry the onion until soft and golden. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Transfer to a mixing bowl and allow to cool.Add the remaining ingredients (except the canola oil, ciabatta and Chianti) to the oniongarlic mixture and mix well by hand. Chill for 1 hour, then, using your hands, roll into 50 g balls.In a large pan over a medium heat, heat the canola oil and, when hot, fry the meatballs (taking mcare not to overcrowd the pan) until evenly browned.Transfer the meatballs to a saucepan containing 1.2 litres of gently simmering Napoletana sauce and cook for 12 minutes. Serve immediately with ciabatta and a glass of Chianti.To make the Napoletana sauce: In a saucepan over a medium to low heat, heat the olive oil and gently fry the onion and red pepper until soft and lightly browned.Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato purée and seasoning and simmer gently for 20 minutes, covered but stirring occasionally. Finally, stir through the basil and remove from the heat.Giovanni’s notes: This recipe also makes a delicious sauce for freshly cooked penne or spaghetti served with grated Parmesan. The meatballs can be made into 10 g little balls and served with spaghetti. The kids love it.