These meatballs are yummy with pasta or rice and a sauce of tomato, peppers, herbs, garlic, wine; or baked in a casserole with any sort of savoury sauce. The rolling of the balls and frying them is a little time consuming, so I usually make a huge batch and freeze them. (Serves 4 to 6, makes about 16-18 meatballs). From Lesley Hilditch (Anthea’s sister)

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Lesley Hilditch’s Meat Balls

1 lb (500g) Beef Mince
1 lb (500g) Pork sausage meat
1 egg, beaten
1 medium onion, minced or chopped very finely
1 large clove garlic, minced or mashed finely
1 teaspn dried mixed herbs
1 Tablespn finely chopped parsley
2 slices bread, crusts off & mashed into crumbs
1 Teaspn tomato puree
Salt & pepper to season
Flour, for coating the meatballs
Oil, for frying

Mix all the ingredients together with your hands. Coat the meatballs with flour (I sprinkle flour on a tray, put the balls on it and roll them around). Brown them in batches and then add sauce of your choice and continue to simmer in the pan or casserole. They can be frozen with or without sauce.

I have tried the Zimbabwean method for rolling the balls, which adds a certain piquancy - this method was devised by Sixpence, our neighbour's cook. The story goes that the mistress of the house walked into the kitchen and found Sixpence rolling each meatball in his armpit to make them nice and round!!

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