Virginia Iovine-Turner Cucina Amore www.cucinaamore.co.nz

Well I have returned back form Italy and what a wonderful culinary trip that was.

Pasta is on the menu every day in Italy and this is kind of the same in my household. I know this is the key to my son's heart, so I thought I would make his favourite pasta dish – pasta and meatballs!

Pasta sauce

12 large sundried tomatoes

Reserve the oil from the jar

1/2 red onion diced

2 cans chopped tomatoes

1/2 glass water

salt & pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

Meatballs

500g mince

1 egg

2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley

3 tablespoons white wine

2 garlic gloves crushed

1 small onion diced

salt and pepper

breadcrumbs

Heat a deep pan with three tablespoons of sun-dried tomato oil, fry onion until soft add sun-dried tomatoes and stir for two minutes. Add canned tomatoes, water, salt and pepper, and sugar. Simmer on a low heat for 20 minutes. Set aside.

Meatballs, combine all ingredients, mix well and roll in bread crumbs.

Fry in oil until golden on both sides add to pasta sauce and simmer on a low heat for 35-45 minutes until sauce has returned and meatballs are soft. Serve with your favourite pasta.