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I’m a complete and utter cheapskate. It’s not that I can’t afford nice things, I’d just prefer to pay off my mortgage than wear designer shoes. Boring it may be, but I’d rather have a house than pretty things on my feet.
As a result, I pretty much always buy the own-brand ‘value’ products at the supermarket (you know, the ones with the white labels). I once heard that you should keep buying cheaper and cheaper versions of each item until you can actually tell the difference. With certain ingredients, this led to me buying the value products with no complaints – in all honesty, a 19p bag of pasta tastes much the same to me as a £2 bag (please don’t hate me, Italians – I use my savings to buy wine!).
But there’s one thing that…
View Full Recipe at Amouse Your Bouche
.%20I%20once%20heard%20that%20you%20should%20keep%20buying%20cheaper%20and%20cheaper%20versions%20of%20each%20item%20until%20you%20can%20actually%20tell%20the%20difference.%20With%20certain%20ingredients,%20this%20led%20to%20me%20buying%20the%20value%20products%20with%20no%20complaints%20%E2%80%93%20in%20all%20honesty,%20a%2019p%20bag%20of%20pasta%20tastes%20much%20the%20same%20to%20me%20as%20a%20%C2%A32%20bag%20(please%20don%E2%80%99t%20hate%20me,%20Italians%20%E2%80%93%20I%20use%20my%20savings%20to%20buy%20wine!).%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBut%20there%E2%80%99s%20one%20thing%20that%20I%20will%20never%20buy%20with%20a%20white%20label,%20and%20that%E2%80%99s%20tinned%20tomatoes.%20I%E2%80%99ve%20made%20that%20mistake%20a%20couple%20of%20times%20in%20the%20past,%20and%20have%20always%20ended%20up%20with%20watery%20sauces%20that%20barely%20even%20look%20like%20they%E2%80%99re%20made%20of%20tomatoes%20(perhaps%20someone%20wafted%20a%20tomato%20through%20them%20once%20upon%20a%20time,%20but%20certainly%20not%20in%20living%20memory).%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWith%20good%20quality%20tinned%20tomatoes%20like%20Cirio%20(pronounced%20with%20a%20%E2%80%98ch%E2%80%99,%20which%20I%20enjoy%20%E2%80%93%20it%20always%20makes%20me%20think%20of%20%E2%80%98cheerio%E2%80%99!),%20the%20difference%20is%20noticeable%20the%20second%20you%20open%20the%20tin.%20Rather%20than%20a%20watery%20liquid%20with%20a%20few%20lumps%20of%20tomato,%20Cirio%20tomatoes%20are%20thick%20and%20rich,%20and%20a%20deep%20red%20colour.%20They%20smell%20unbelievable.%20Real%20tomatoes%20%E2%80%93%20to%20make%20a%20real%20tomato%20sauce!%20They%20barely%20need%20any%20help%20to%20become%20a%20beautifully%20rich%20sauce%20%E2%80%93%20just%20simmer%20them%20down%20a%20little%20with%20some%20seasoning,%20and%20bam.%20Tomato%20sauce.%20Good%20tomatoes%20really%20do%20make%20such%20a%20difference.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EOf%20course,%20a%20good%20tomato%20sauce%20can%20be%20used%20in%20any%20number%20of%20ways,%20but%20this%20time%20I%20served%20it%20with%20these%20easy%20Mediterranean%20lentil%20meatballs.%20Flavoured%20with%20olives,%20basil%20and%20tomato,%20these%20meatballs%20have%20heaps%20of%20flavour,%20and%20I%20love%20how%20crispy%20they%20get%20as%20they%20bake!%20I%20had%20mine%20with%20bulgur%20wheat%20(so%20underrated,%20why%20don%E2%80%99t%20I%20use%20it%20more?!)%20but%20they%E2%80%99d%20be%20great%20with%20spaghetti%20too,%20if%20you%20want%20to%20be%20a%20bit%20more%20traditional.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThey%E2%80%99re%20easy%20to%20make%20too%20%E2%80%93%20just%20whizz%20up%20some%20a%20few%20ingredients%20in%20a%20food%20processor,%20and%20you%E2%80%99re%20most%20of%20the%20way%20there.%20I%20was%20only%20intending%20to%20make%20about%20two%20portions%E2%80%99%20worth,%20but%20when%20I%20was%20rolling%20the%20meatballs,%20they%20just%20kept%20on%20coming,%20and%20I%20ended%20up%20with%2024%20in%20total%20%E2%80%93%20enough%20for%20about%204-6%20people,%20depending%20on%20how%20many%20you%20want%20each!%20Lentil%20meatballs%20for%20everybody.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMediterranean%20lentil%20meatballs%20with%20tomato%20sauce%20%20%20%20%20Total%20time%20%201%20hour%2030%20mins%20%20%20%20%20%20Author:%20Becca%20@%20Amuse%20Your%20Bouche%20Recipe%20type:%20Main%20meal%20Yield:%20Serves%204-6%20%20%20Ingredients%20For%20the%20Mediterranean%20lentil%20meatballs:%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E230g%20(~%201%20cup)%20brown%20lentils%201%20tbsp%20oil%201%20medium%20onion,%20roughly%20diced%203%20cloves%20garlic,%20roughly%20chopped%2045g%20(~%201%20slice)%20bread%20(I%20used%20wholemeal)%20Small%20bunch%20fresh%20basil%202%20tbsp%20tomato%20puree%20(I%20used%20double%20concentrate)%202%20tbsp%20sliced%20black%20olives%20Salt%20Black%20pepper%20For%20the%20easy%20tomato%20sauce:%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E2%20x%20400g%20tins%20(~%202%C2%BD%20cups%20total)%20good%20quality%20chopped%20tomatoes%20Salt%20Black%20pepper%20Fresh%20basil,%20to%20serve%20%20%20Instructions%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPreheat%20the%20oven%20to%20190%C2%B0C%20(Gas%20Mark%205%20/%20375%C2%B0F).%20Boil%20the%20brown%20lentils%20in%20plenty%20of%20water,%20until%20soft%20-%20around%2020%20minutes.%20Meanwhile,%20heat%20the%20oil%20in%20a%20frying%20pan,%20and%20add%20the%20chopped%20onion%20and%20garlic.%20Cook%20over%20a%20medium%20heat%20for%20a%20few%20minutes,%20until%20soft%20and%20fragrant.%20Transfer%20the%20cooked%20onion%20and%20garlic%20to%20a%20food%20processor,%20and%20add%20the%20slice%20of%20bread,%20fresh%20basil,%20tomato%20puree,%20black%20olives,%20and%20a%20good%20pinch%20of%20salt%20and%20pepper.%20Blitz%20to%20form%20a%20chunky%20paste.%20When%20the%20lentils%20are%20cooked,%20drain%20them%20and%20add%20to%20the%20food%20processor.%20Blitz%20again%20until%20the%20mixture%20comes%20together.%20It%20should%20be%20well%20combined,%20but%20it's%20fine%20to%20leave%20a%20few%20lentils%20whole.%20Lightly%20grease%20a%20lined%20baking%20tray.%20Roll%20the%20lentil%20mixture%20into%20balls,%20and%20place%20on%20the%20tray.%20I%20made%2024%20lentil%20meatballs%20in%20total,%20each%20measuring%20around%202%20inches%20in%20diameter.%20Place%20in%20the%20oven%20and%20bake%20for%20around%20an%20hour,%20or%20until%20crispy.%20While%20the%20meatballs%20are%20baking,%20add%20the%20good%20quality%20chopped%20tomatoes%20to%20a%20saucepan,%20and%20season%20to%20taste.%20Bring%20to%20a%20gentle%20simmer,%20and%20cook%20for%20around%2010%20minutes,%20until%20they%20form%20a%20thick%20and%20rich%20tomato%20sauce.%20When%20the%20lentil%20meatballs%20are%20ready,%20serve%20them%20with%20the%20tomato%20sauce%20and%20your%20choice%20of%20side%20(I%20went%20for%20bulgur%20wheat).%20Top%20with%20the%20fresh%20basil.%20%203.4.3177%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ENote:%20Nutritional%20information%20is%20approximate,%20and%20will%20depend%20on%20exactly%20what%20ingredients%20you%20choose.%20Information%20above%20is%20for%201/4%20of%20the%20recipe.%3C/p%3E){kind=link}