Mrs P's apple & thyme meatballs

"To me, there’s nothing more comforting than a big bowl of meatballs, smothered in homemade tomato sauce with lots of herbs and spices over a big mound of sweet potato and garlic mash… the secret ingredient with my meatballs is apple, not only does the apple add another depth of flavour, but it also keeps the balls bound together and moist." – Mrs P

40 mins

4-5

Easy

• 450g Field & Flower course cut beef mince
• 3tsp smoked paprika
• 1 small onion (optional)
• 1 garlic clove (optional)
• 400g tin cherry tomatoes
• 1 egg
• 1tsp oregano
• 2tsp thyme
• 1tsp sea salt
• 1tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 small apples
• 50g ground almonds
• 100ml water
• Olive oil

1. Pre-heat your oven to 150°C/Gas 2.

2. In a food processor place apples (remove core but keep skin) and blitz until finely chopped. Add onion and garlic (both optional) and blitz until combined.

3. Now add in ¾ of the beef mince, 2tsp smoked paprika, salt, pepper, oregano and the egg. Blitz until fully combined.

4. Add in remaining beef mince and pulse 2-3 times.

5. With clean hands roll in to meatballs (ping pong ball sized) and lightly roll in the ground almonds.

6. Grease the bottom of a cooking dish with olive oil then place the meatballs in the dish.

7. Place in oven for 10-15 minutes to seal.

8. Remove the dish from oven and carefully add the tin of cherry tomatoes, water and a generous sprinkle of paprika and thyme.

9. Place back in the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes until baked and bubbling.

10. Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt, some more thyme and serve straight away.