Spaghetti meatball bolognese

Method

1. To prepare the fresh pasta dough, sift the flour into your stand mixer bowl, and attach the dough hook.
2. Break eggs in a cup and mix in with a fork. Add the eggs to the flour and start mixing slowly on speed 1, working your way up to speed 2-3. Depending on the egg size used, 1-2 tbsp of water can be added if the dough is too dry.
3. When the pasta dough starts to come together turn it out onto a clean bench, dusted with a little flour and knead for about 3 minutes until smooth. Wrap pasta dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
4. Chop dough into 4 pieces and flatten one piece slightly into a neat rectangle, wrapping the remaining pieces in plastic wrap to prevent them drying out.
5. Attach the pasta roller attachment to your KitchenAid Stand Mixer, starting on the widest setting (1). Pass the flattened piece of dough through the machine a few times, folding each time to start with. Increase the notch’s 1 at a time up until notched 5 or 6.
6. Dust lightly with flour if it starts to stick and if it becomes too long to handle, cut it in half and lay on a dusted tray flat while the remaining dough is rolled out.
7. Attach the spaghetti cutter attachment to your KitchenAid Stand Mixer and pass each sheet of dough through. Hang the homemade pasta on a rail to prevent it sticking.
8. When you're ready to cook the spaghetti, bring a large stock pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook 5-6 minutes until al dente and drain. Reserve the drained liquid for the sauce. Drizzle a little olive oil over the pasta to prevent it sticking.
9. Meatball recipe: Fit the fine mince blade to the food grinder and attach to the KitchenAid stand mixer. Chop and then feed the cubed beef through the grinder to mince the beef into ground beef meatball mix, and add to a large mixing bowl.
10. Combine in a separate small bowl the dried bread crumbs and the milk. Stir to combine, and allow the meatball mixture to sit for 5 minutes to thicken up.
11. Combine all of the meatball ingredients into to the large mixing bowl with the mince meat and bread crumb mixture. Using clean hands, mix meatballs until well combined.
12. Lightly wet your hands and roll out round meatballs on your work surface, then place each meatball on a large baking tray.
13. Bake in the oven at 180C (fan forced) for 20-25 minutes (or until cooked through) and set aside.
14. To prepare the sauce, heat up a large heavy base fry pan to medium heat. Add a good drizzle of olive oil, diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté while stirring for a few minutes, until the onions become translucent.
15. Add the tomato paste, and stir through.
16. Add the canned diced tomatoes, dried oregano and a good pinch of sea salt then stir though. Allow to simmer for 12-15 minutes while the sauce thickens and the flavour develops, a little pasta water if it becomes too thick.
17. Add the cooked meatballs and toss through the sauce.
18. To serve, spoon the meatballs over the top of the pasta with an extra sprinkle of parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

1. If you're after a slightly elevated fresh pasta recipe, check out these fresh herb studded pasta sheets!
2. Keen for more meatball inspo? Check out our Greek meatballs recipe or our Moroccan simmered meatballs recipe.