*meet.my.balls*

I had been craving meatballs and pasta for ages but was convinced that there was no way that Fry's mince would stick together long enough to survive the oven bake, not to mention dishing up and serving. Then I realised that one's food processor is one's best friend. The other day I made fake-chicken and mayonnaise sandwiches by blitzing the Fry's chicken strips in the blender. It was a bit of a "duh" moment when I realised I could do the same to the Fry's mince in order to get the consistency that I desired for my non-meat balls. The balls were a major hit and they were sturdy enough to survive the bake, the dishing out and the serving. Success!

Ingredients:

• 2 packets Fry's mince (I used the spice sachets that accompany the packets as well)
• 1 or 2 tsp Brewer's yeast
• 1 tsp dried parsley (or 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley)
• 1 medium chopped onion 
• 1 or 2 tsp garlic
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme 
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tbsn vegan Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
• 1 tbsn tomato paste
• 1 tbsn water
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup bread crumbs (optional) 
• 1 can tomato puree
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp sugar

Combine all of the ingredients (except the tomato puree) in the blender and blend until you have an almost smooth minced consistency (you may need to add a bit more oil or water in the event that the mixture is too dry to stick together). Set aside. 

Pre-heat the oven to about 180 degrees celcius.

Pour the tomato puree into an oven proof baking dish and mix in the apple cider vinegar and sugar (to counteract the acidity of the canned tomatoes). 

Take the mince mixture and begin rolling into ping-pong sized balls. The mixture should stick together without any great effort on your part. 

Place the balls into the tomato puree mixture and continue to do so until the oven dish is filled with your balls.  

Place in the oven and bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the balls begin to brown. 

Serve with your choice of pasta and ENJOY!