Fusilli with hidden vegetables, meatballs and basilico pastasauce

1. Preparation: chop the carrot, courgette and red onion as finely as possible (almost crumbly) so that they are nicely “hidden” in the sauce. Do this by first cutting slices, then strips and then small cubes.
2. Meatballs: mix the minced meat with the breadcrumbs and egg, plus some salt and pepper. Roll into small balls (about the size of a marble). Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and fry the meatballs until golden brown all over. Remove from the pan and set aside. Keep the gravy. This ingredient can of course also be replaced by vegetarian mince in a vegetarian version, either as balls or not.
3. Vegetable base: heat some olive oil in a heavy-based pan. Gently fry the red onion until it becomes translucent. Make sure it does not brown. Then add the carrot and fry for a few minutes until soft. Finally, add the courgette, which needs a little less time. Crush the garlic cloves and fry briefly.
4. Sauce: pour the jar of Bertolli Basilico tomato sauce into the vegetables and stir well. Allow the sauce to simmer gently for 8-10 minutes so that the vegetables are nicely incorporated into the sauce. Add the meatballs and heat for a few more minutes.
5. Cooking the pasta: in the meantime, cook the fusilli in plenty of salted water according to the instructions on the packet. Drain, but keep some of the pasta water. Mix the pasta into the sauce and add some of the pasta water until you achieve the desired thickness. This will also make your sauce a little glossier.
6. Serving: spoon the pasta onto plates and sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Buon Appetito!