I find meatballs really useful to add flavour and protein to stews, soups and pasta dishes. I make some from ground meat and others I make using sausages. These Italian Sausage Meatballs are light, tasty and easy to make. I boost the flavour of some supermarket Italian sausages with a blend of dried Italian herbs that you probably have knocking about the place. You can freeze these little flavour bombs then add them to a quick pasta sauce or stew when you need them.

INGREDIENTS
Makes approx. 16-18 meatballs
450g Italian sausage (about 8 sausages)
25g fine breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp of dried: thyme, parsley, oregano, sage and basil
1/4 tsp of dried garlic powder
olive oil

• Pre-heat the oven to 220° (200° Fan). Squeeze the sausage meat out of its casing into a small baking dish then add the breadcrumbs, herbs and salt.
• Squish everything together with your hands then form the mixture into a long sausage shape the diameter of your desired meatball size then halve the mixture and halve again until you have the right volume to roll into a meatball.
• Drizzle a little olive oil over the meatballs then cook in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes. Drain off any excess fat from the dish then add the meatballs to your chosen sauce.