Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp water
• 500g/1lb 2oz very lean minced beef
• 2 garlic cloves
• very finely chopped
• handful of fresh flatleaf parsley
• very finely chopped
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 400g/14 oz fresh or dried tagliolini (or tagliatelle)
• cooked
• 20 cherry tomatoes
• de-seeded and sliced
• handful of flatleaf parsley

Directions

• To make the meatballs
• mix together the beef
• garlic
• parsley
• the remaining olive oil and some salt and pepper. It is much easier to do this with your hands. When all the ingredients are well combined
• shape into about 40 small balls.
• To steam
• half fill a pan with water and put it on the hob to boil.
• Cover with a plate roughly the same size as the pan
• or just a little larger
• and put half the olive oil and the water on the plate.
• When the water begins to boil
• turn down the heat to medium
• so the water is gently simmering.
• Place the meatballs on the plate on top of the pan and cover with an upturned plate
• or ideally
• a glass bowl so that you can see through it.
• Leave it to steam for 30 minutes
• turning the meatballs over halfway through.
• When the meatballs are cooked through
• remove from the plate and pour the cooking liquour into a pan.
• Add the cooked pasta
• cherry tomatoes and flatleaf parsley and toss until combined.
• Serve with the steamed meatballs.