Meatball minestrone

This Meatball Minestrone makes for a fresh, filling and moreish midweek supper. The taste belies how inexpensive it is to make and it really takes very little time to prepare. Believe me when I say this was a very big hit in our house when it was put on the table.

MEATBALL MINESTRONE

Ingredients serves 3/4
Pack 12 meatballs (beef, pork, venison or veal)
Tbspn olive oil
2 small shallots (or one onion), finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
Clove garlic, finely chopped
3 anchovies
4 or 5 tspns of concentrated beef or chicken extract (M&S do a really good one) diluted with 1 litre of boiling water
175g macaroni
Two handfuls of baby spinach
200g peas
Freshly grated Parmesan (lots!)

How to prepare
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and brown the meatballs until almost cooked through. Remove and keep warm.
In the same pan, gently fry the shallots, celery, anchovies and garlic for about 7 mins or so until softened. Add the stock and bring back to the boil. Add the macaroni and cook for 5 mins. Then put the meatballs back in the pan and cook for another 5 mins. Add the spinach and peas and cook for one minute. Put into warmed bowls and sprinkle lavish amounts of Parmesan over.